Learn everything you need to know about how to cook a turkey in this easy Herb Roasted Turkey Recipe.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time2 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Total Time2 hourshrs50 minutesmins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 712kcal
Author: Chrystal Johnson
Equipment
Cutting Board
Knife
Measuring cups and spoons
Pan with roasting rack
Paper towels
Baking twine
Aluminum foil
Ingredients
1whole turkey12-20 pounds
1quartturkey stockor more
1onionquartered
1lemonquartered
1bulbgarlicseparated and peeled
1cupbuttersoftened at room temperature
1tablespoonfresh thymeminced
1tablespoonfresh sageminced
1tablespoonfresh rosemaryminced
1teaspoonsea salt
½teaspoonblack pepper
Instructions
Take your turkey out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. This will take about an hour. Once it’s at room temperature, you can preheat your oven to 350˚ F.
Add softened butter, sage, thyme, rosemary, sea salt and black pepper to medium mixing bowl.
Mix until well combined.
Place turkey on a roasting pan breast side up, then remove the innards from the cavity and pat dry turkey skin with paper towels.Coat the turkey skin in the herbed butter. You want to make sure all of the skin is coated. Be sure that you rub it inside the cavity and under the breast skin too.
Stuff the turkey cavity with as much garlic cloves and onion and lemon quarters as will fit. You can also put any extra fresh herbs in there too.
Tie the legs together, tuck the wing tips if your bird will allow and add the turkey stock to the bottom of the roasting pan.
Place your roasting pan in the oven on the lowest oven rack and roast turkey for 13-15 minutes per pound. My turkey is just over 12 pounds, so it took about 2 ½ hours to roast. Once it reaches an internal temperature of 165˚ F in the thickest part of the meat, it’s done.
Remove turkey from the oven and allow it to rest, tented, for 30 minutes before carving.
After your turkey has rested, it's time to carve and serve.