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Garlic Butter Roasted Turkey Recipe

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4.1 from 55 reviews

  • Author: Maggie
  • Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings

Description

This Garlic Butter Roasted Turkey recipe delivers a moist, flavorful bird infused with fresh herbs and garlic butter, perfect for any holiday or family gathering. The turkey is seasoned inside and out, roasted to golden perfection on a bed of aromatic vegetables, ensuring tender meat and a deliciously crispy skin.

Ingredients

Turkey and Stuffing

  • 12 to 18 pound turkey (fully thawed)
  • 1 onion (peeled and quartered)
  • 1 lemon (quartered)
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh sage
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Garlic Herb Butter

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 7 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (finely chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (finely chopped)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Roasting Bed Vegetables

  • 1 onion (peeled and quartered)
  • 3 ribs celery (roughly chopped)
  • 3 carrots (roughly chopped)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) to prepare for roasting the turkey evenly and thoroughly.
  2. Prepare Turkey Cavity: Remove giblets from the turkey’s cavity, then pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Season the inside cavity generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Stuff it with the quartered onion, lemon, and fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage sprigs to infuse flavor from within.
  3. Make Garlic Herb Butter: In a mixing bowl, combine the room temperature unsalted butter, minced garlic, finely chopped rosemary and thyme, and season with salt and black pepper. Mix well until fully incorporated for a flavorful butter spread.
  4. Apply Herb Butter: Gently separate the skin from the turkey breast by sliding your fingers or a spoon underneath the skin, taking care not to tear it. Spread a generous layer of the herb butter mixture underneath the skin on the breast to keep the meat moist and flavorful. Then, spread the remaining herb butter evenly over the outside of the turkey. Season the entire outside with additional salt and black pepper to taste.
  5. Set Up Roasting Bed: In the bottom of a large roasting pan, place the quartered onion, chopped celery, and chopped carrots. This vegetable bed will add flavor and prevent the turkey from sticking while roasting.
  6. Roast the Turkey: Place the prepared turkey on top of the bed of vegetables in the roasting pan. Loosely cover the turkey with aluminum foil and transfer it to the preheated oven. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 160°F in the thickest part of the thigh, which will allow carryover heat to bring it to a safe 165°F during resting. This typically takes about 3 hours for a turkey of this size. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, remove the foil to brown the skin and achieve a beautiful golden color.
  7. Rest and Serve: Remove the turkey from the oven and tent it loosely with foil. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute, resulting in a tender, juicy turkey. After resting, carve and serve with your favorite side dishes.

Notes

  • Ensure the turkey is fully thawed before roasting to promote even cooking.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, guaranteeing safety and perfect doneness.
  • Resting the turkey is crucial to keep the meat juicy and flavorful.
  • The herb butter can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated to enhance flavors.
  • Removing the foil during the last 30 minutes helps crisp and brown the skin beautifully.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://recipeworthsaving.com/garlic-butter-roasted-turkey-recipe/