Herb Butter Turkey Recipe (Juicy Roasted Turkey in Cast Iron)

Name: Herb Butter Turkey
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 305 min
Ingredients: 15 lb turkey (12 to 16 lb, thawed); 1 gala apple (cut into wedges); 1 lemon (cut into wedges); 1 onion (chopped); 1 celery rib (chopped); 1 large carrot (chopped); 4 plump garlic cloves (divided, 3 minced); 4 fresh rosemary sprigs (divided); 10 fresh thyme sprigs (divided); 1 small bunch fresh parsley (divided); 6 fresh sage sprigs (divided); ½ lb salted butter (softened); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 cup chicken broth or water (optional, for the skillet)

Jump to Recipe

Herb Butter Turkey is the bird I roast every Thanksgiving: garlic and fresh herb butter tucked under the skin, then roasted low and slow in my 15-inch cast iron skillet. Simple ingredients, about 20 minutes of hands-on prep, and juicy meat with golden skin every time. This herb butter roasted turkey also leaves behind the best drippings you'll ever turn into gravy.

Spoon my Easy Turkey Gravy over every slice and pass a bowl of Homemade Cranberry Sauce on the side. Feeding a crowd? My Skillet Sausage Stuffing bakes while the turkey rests.

The whole turkey carved and plated on a white platter garnished with fresh herbs, cranberries, and orange slices.

Quick Look at this Recipe

✅ Recipe Name: Herb Butter Turkey
🕒 Ready In: About 5 hours (20 min prep, 4 hr roast, 45 min rest)
👪 Serves: 10 people
🥣 Main Ingredients: Whole turkey, salted butter, garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, apple, lemon
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free. Contains dairy (use vegan butter for dairy-free)
⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Juicy meat and golden skin from herb butter tucked under the skin, roasted in one cast iron skillet that builds the best gravy drippings

Summarize and Save the Recipe

Add As a Trusted Google Source

Jump to:

Quick Look at this Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Herb Butter Turkey
What Makes This Herb Butter Turkey Different
Ingredients for Herb Butter Turkey
How to Make Herb Butter Turkey
How Long to Cook Herb Butter Turkey
Variations
Expert Tips for the Best Herb Butter Turkey
Herb Butter Turkey Troubleshooting
What to Serve With Herb Butter Turkey
Herb Butter Turkey FAQs
More Delicious Recipes
Get the Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Herb Butter Turkey

Juicy every time. The butter under the skin bastes the breast from the inside while it roasts, so there is no basting every 30 minutes.
Simple ingredients. Butter, garlic, four classic herbs, and a few fridge staples. In fact, there is nothing to hunt down.
Cast iron does the work. The heavy skillet holds steady heat and browns the vegetables underneath, which builds deep, dark drippings.
Gravy built in. Then those drippings go straight into the gravy while the turkey rests.

What Makes This Herb Butter Turkey Different

Why a 15-Inch Cast Iron Skillet Makes Better Turkey

My 15-inch cast iron skillet holds a 12 to 16 lb turkey with room for vegetables underneath. The heavy iron holds steady heat, so the vegetables and drippings brown instead of scorching like they can in a thin disposable pan, and that browning is where your gravy gets its flavor. A full skillet weighs close to 30 pounds, so use two hands and pull the oven rack out instead of reaching in. Re-oil the skillet after washing (here's my guide on how to care for cast iron). No cast iron? Instead, use a roasting pan with a rack. It works the same.

Butter Under the Skin Beats Basting

Butter is about 16 to 18 percent water. Under the skin, that water steams while the fat bastes the breast meat directly, so the meat stays juicy without you opening the oven door every half hour. Keeping the herbs and garlic under the skin also protects them from scorching during the long roast.

A Low, Steady 325°F Oven

Roasting at 325°F gives the thighs time to cook through before the breast dries out. The skin still turns deep golden brown, especially once the foil comes off for the last 45 minutes.

Let the Thermometer Make the Call

Pull the turkey when the breast reads 160°F. It climbs to 165°F while it rests (that is carryover cooking). The thighs should hit 170 to 175°F, because dark meat has more connective tissue and the extra heat turns it tender instead of chewy.

Ingredients for Herb Butter Turkey

Whole turkey. A 12 to 16 lb bird fits a 15-inch skillet. Anything bigger cooks unevenly, so roast two smaller turkeys for a big crowd.
Salted butter. It seasons the meat right under the skin. Using unsalted? In that case, add an extra ½ teaspoon of salt to the butter.
Fresh herbs. Sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley are the classic combination. However, dried herbs work too at one-third the amount.
Garlic. Minced fine or pressed into a paste so it spreads easily without tearing the skin.
Apple and lemon. Both go in the cavity for flavor and moisture.
Onion, celery, and carrot. Together, they sit in the bottom of the skillet as a natural roasting rack and also flavor the drippings.
Salt and black pepper. For the herb butter and the cavity.

See the recipe card below for exact measurements and full instructions.

How to Make Herb Butter Turkey

Make the Herb Butter and Prep the Aromatics

Herb butter being made: softened butter seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and fresh herbs ready to be mixed together.

Step 1: Make the Herb Butter. Mix the softened salted butter with minced garlic, chopped sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper until evenly combined. Also save a few whole herb sprigs for the cavity.

Produce for the turkey has been cut and added to a bowl with the herbs, seasonings and knife outside the bowl on a cutting board.

Step 2: Prep the Aromatics. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Cut the apple and lemon into wedges and roughly chop the onion, celery, and carrot. Then scatter the onion, celery, and carrot in the bottom of a 15-inch cast iron skillet.

Stuff the Turkey

Chopped fruit and vegetables being inserted into the cavity of the turkey

Step 3: Fill the Cavity. Remove the neck and giblets, pat the turkey dry inside and out, and set it on the vegetables breast side up. Next, stuff the cavity with the apple, lemon, herb sprigs, and a spoonful of herb butter.

Produce and herbs being inserted into the neck cavity.

Step 4: Fill the Neck Cavity. Tuck the remaining produce and herb sprigs into the neck cavity, then fold the neck skin underneath the bird.

Butter Under the Skin

The skin around the breast is being pulled back and away from the flesh.

Step 5: Loosen the Skin. Starting at the cavity end, slide your fingers between the skin and the breast meat, working toward the neck and down over the thighs. However, leave the skin attached along the center breastbone.

The herb butter is being applied on the flesh under the breast skin.

Step 6: Butter Under the Skin. Spread about two-thirds of the herb butter under the skin, then massage it flat from the outside so it covers the breast evenly.

Roast and Rest

Herb butter has been applied all over the surface of the turkey.

Step 7: Butter the Outside and Roast. After that, rub the rest of the butter over the outside and tuck the wing tips. Roast a 15 lb turkey 3 ¾ to 4 hours, tenting the breast with foil if it browns too fast and removing the foil for the last 45 minutes.

The turkey in the cast iron skillet resting after cooking.

Step 8: Check the Temperature and Rest. The turkey is done when the breast reads 160°F and the thickest part of the thigh reads 170°F. Rest it loosely tented with foil for 45 minutes, make gravy from the drippings, then carve.

How Long to Cook Herb Butter Turkey

The cooking time for herb butter turkey depends on the size of your bird. Here are roasting times for an unstuffed turkey at 325°F, based on the USDA turkey roasting guide. Use them as a guide. However, let a thermometer make the final call.

Turkey weight	Roasting time at 325°F
Small (12 to 14 lb)	About 3 to 3 ¾ hours
Medium (14 to 16 lb)	About 3 ¾ to 4 hours
Large (16 to 18 lb)	About 4 to 4 ¼ hours (use a roasting pan, too big for the skillet)

Afterward, rest a 12 to 14 lb turkey for 30 minutes and a 15 to 16 lb turkey for 45 minutes, loosely tented with foil, so the juices settle back into the meat.

Variations

Dry Brined Herb Butter Turkey. Rub 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per 5 pounds of turkey all over the bird 24 to 48 hours ahead and refrigerate it uncovered. Then switch to unsalted butter and leave the salt out of the herb butter.
Garlic Herb Butter Turkey. First, double the garlic in the butter, then add a halved head of garlic to the cavity.
Citrus Herb Butter Turkey. Add orange zest to the butter and swap the lemon in the cavity for an orange.
Cajun Butter Turkey. Stir 1 to 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning into the herb butter for a little heat.
Dried Herb Turkey. For example, use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for every tablespoon of fresh and mix them into the butter.
Dairy-Free Turkey. Instead of butter, use vegan butter sticks or an herb-infused olive oil.

Expert Tips for the Best Herb Butter Turkey

Soften the butter instead of melting it. Otherwise, melted butter runs right off the bird and won't stay put under the skin.
Pat the turkey completely dry. Dry skin browns, while wet skin steams.
Keep the herbs under the skin. Herbs on the outside scorch during a long roast, so they belong underneath.
Make the herb butter ahead. It keeps 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Then roll it into a log and soften it the morning you roast.
Tent, then uncover. Foil protects the breast, and taking it off for the last 45 minutes turns the skin golden.
Rest before carving. Cutting too soon sends the juices onto the board instead of keeping them in the meat.

Glistening breast portion of the turkey on a platter garnished with herbs, oranges, and cranberries.

Herb Butter Turkey Troubleshooting

Skin isn't golden. The foil was too tight and the turkey steamed. Next time, take the foil off for the last 45 minutes.
Breast is done before the thighs. Shield the breast with foil and keep roasting until the thighs hit 170°F.
Herbs on the skin turned black. They were on the outside. Keep the herbs under the skin next time.
Drippings are burning in the skillet. Add 1 cup of broth or water to the pan. With a smaller bird, add up to 4 cups for extra gravy.
Center is still icy. The turkey wasn't fully thawed. Instead, thaw it in the fridge, allowing about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds.
Skin tore while buttering. Patch it with a toothpick. Even so, it will still brown.

What to Serve With Herb Butter Turkey

Herb butter turkey is the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table. Because it pairs with almost anything, here are the cast iron sides I serve with it most.

Bacon Green Bean Casserole with crispy onions and smoky bacon.
Dutch Oven Cheesy Potatoes to soak up the gravy.
Honey Glazed Carrots for something sweet and bright.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce with a little orange.
Skillet Sausage Stuffing baked in its own cast iron pan.
Sweet Potato Cornbread with a brown butter maple glaze.
Thanksgiving Meatballs with Stuffing and Gravy for the leftovers.

Herb Butter Turkey FAQs

Ingredient and Prep Questions

What herbs are best for herb butter turkey?

Sage, rosemary, thyme and parsley are the classic combination. Tarragon, marjoram or oregano also work. Use fresh herbs if you can. If you're using dried, use one-third the amount.

Should I use salted or unsalted butter for herb butter turkey?

Salted butter works well and seasons the meat under the skin. If you dry brine the turkey first, use unsalted butter so the bird doesn't turn out too salty.

Can I make herb butter for turkey ahead of time?

Yes. Mix the herb butter up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate it, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it soften at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before spreading so it doesn't tear the skin.

Should I put herb butter under the skin or on top of the turkey?

Both, but do it differently. Spread the herb butter with the garlic and fresh herbs under the skin, where it bastes the breast meat directly and the herbs won't burn. Rub plain butter on the outside to help the skin brown evenly.

Cooking and Storage Questions

How long do you cook a 15 lb herb butter turkey at 325°F?

An unstuffed 15 lb turkey takes about 3 ¾ to 4 hours at 325°F. Start checking at 3 ¼ hours. It's done when the breast reads 160°F and the thickest part of the thigh reads 170°F on an instant-read thermometer. Rest it 45 minutes before carving.

Can you roast a whole turkey in a cast iron skillet?

Yes. A 15-inch cast iron skillet fits a turkey up to about 16 lb. Set the bird on a bed of chopped onion, celery and carrot so it doesn't sit directly on the hot iron. The skillet's steady heat builds rich, browned drippings for gravy.

How do you store leftover turkey?

Refrigerate carved turkey in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking and use it within 3 to 4 days. To freeze, add a splash of broth to the container and freeze for up to 3 months.

How do you reheat turkey without drying it out?

Place sliced turkey in a baking dish with a splash of broth, cover it with foil, and warm it at 325°F for about 20 minutes until hot. The broth keeps the meat moist.