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Glistening breast portion of the turkey on a platter garnished with herbs, oranges, and cranberries.
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5 from 19 votes

Herb Butter Turkey

Simple ingredients and minimal prep, this Herb Butter Turkey comes out moist and juicy every time and makes the best gravy too.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Resting Time30 minutes
Total Time4 hours 45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Herb Butter Turkey
Calories: 8672kcal

Equipment

  • 15-inch cast iron skillet (or other roasting pan)

Ingredients

  • 15 lb turkey 12-16 lbs
  • 1 gala apple into wedges
  • 1 lemon into wedges
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 celery rib chopped
  • 1 large carrot chopped
  • 4 plump garlic cloves divided, minced and chopped
  • 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 10 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 small bunch fresh parsley
  • 6 fresh sage sprigs
  • ½ lb salted butter
  • 1 tsp salt +/- to taste
  • 1 tsp black pepper +/- to taste
US Standard - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Roughly chop all the produce. Pull out several sprigs of the fresh herbs. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chopped produce.
  • Make herb butter by placing the softened butter in a small bowl and smash it with a fork. Add de-stemmed fresh thyme, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix to blend.
  • Remove the neck and giblets from inside the turkey. Pat the whole turkey dry. Place the turkey in the skillet or large roasting pan. Stuff pieces of the chopped fresh produce and some herbs into the neck cavity until full.
  • Add a dollop or two of the herb butter into the turkey cavity then stuff it with the fresh produce and herbs. Place any remaining fruits, vegetables, and herbs around the turkey in the skillet or roasting pan.
  • Loosen skin around the turkey breast, working it free. This can be done with your fingers, a table knife, or even a chopstick. Work the herb butter under the skin onto the breast meat. Then replace the skin.
  • Generously slather the rest of the herb butter all over the entire turkey. If you should have any butter left, drop it into the skillet around the turkey. Tie the legs together and tuck the wing tips under the bird.
  • Cover LIGHTLY with foil and place in the oven. Bake the turkey 15 minutes per pound, so 4 hours for our 15 pound turkey.
  • Baste periodically as desired. The turkey is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh has an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
  • Once the turkey is done, remove it from the oven and place the turkey on a cutting board, one that will catch any released juices, and let it rest for 30-60 minutes. Carve, serve, and enjoy.

Notes

If you have a smaller bird and want a lot of gravy, adding broth to the roasting pan or skillet is a good idea. Depending on how much gravy you want to make, add up to 4 cups.

Nutrition

Calories: 8672kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 1052g | Fat: 458g | Saturated Fat: 188g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 78g | Monounsaturated Fat: 136g | Trans Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 3966mg | Sodium: 9253mg | Potassium: 11755mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 19394IU | Vitamin C: 99mg | Calcium: 760mg | Iron: 45mg

Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

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