Garlic Herb Roasted Turkey
A whole turkey rubbed with garlic and herb butter, roasted with lemon and apple, then rested for juicy carving.
Equipment
- Roasting pan with rack
- Meat thermometer
- Aluminum foil
- Cutting board
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey 12 to 14 pounds, fully thawed, neck and giblets removed
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme chopped
- 1 lemon halved
- 1 apple halved
- 1 cup white wine or low sodium chicken broth
- 1 large sheet aluminum foil for tenting if the skin browns too fast
Instructions
Cooking
- Prepare the bird. Pat the turkey dry, set it on a rack in a roasting pan, and heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Make the butter. Stir the butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs together until smooth.
- Season. Spread half of the butter under the skin and the rest over the outside, then fill the cavity with the lemon and apple.
- Add liquid. Pour the wine or broth into the pan and slide the turkey into the lower third of the oven.
- Roast. Roast for about 15 minutes per pound, basting every 30 minutes, until the thigh and breast reach 165 degrees F.
- Rest. Rest for 30 minutes under loose foil before carving across the grain.
Notes
Substitutions: Use low sodium chicken broth instead of wine and swap the apple for an orange.
Tips: Tent the breast with foil if the skin browns too quickly and always check the temperature in the thigh and breast.
Storage: Refrigerate carved meat for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat to 165 degrees F.