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Juicy Herb Butter Roasted Whole Turkey

Close-up of a hand pulling away a slice of juicy, herb-crusted roasted turkey breast.
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Follow this recipe to roast a whole turkey that stays moist and juicy, featuring a flavorful herb butter rub perfect for your holiday centerpiece.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 whole turkey (12–14 lbs), thawed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
  • Cheesecloth (optional, for basting)

Instructions

  1. Remove the turkey from its packaging and remove the neck and giblets from the cavities. Pat the entire turkey skin dry with paper towels.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Mix until you have a uniform herb butter.
  3. Gently loosen the skin over the turkey breast and thighs. Rub about half of the herb butter directly onto the meat under the skin. Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the turkey skin.
  4. Place the quartered onion, carrots, and celery inside the main cavity of the turkey.
  5. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the turkey on a roasting rack set inside a shallow roasting pan.
  6. Roast the turkey at 425°F for 30 minutes to start crisping the skin.
  7. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Pour the white wine or broth into the bottom of the roasting pan.
  8. If using cheesecloth, soak it in wine or melted butter and drape it over the turkey breast. Baste the turkey every 45 minutes with the pan drippings.
  9. Continue roasting until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone) reads 165°F (74°C). This usually takes about 13-15 minutes per pound total cooking time.
  10. Remove the turkey from the oven. Tent loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. This resting period is key for a juicy result.

Notes

  • For the crispiest skin, remove the cheesecloth for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
  • If the turkey breast browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil.
  • Use the pan drippings to make gravy.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenslang.com/juicy-herb-butter-roasted-whole-turkey/