Easy Roast Turkey with Garlic Herb Butter and Crisp Skin
By Sophia Reed
Prep
30 min
Cook
180 min
Total
210 min
Servings
10
Level
Easy
Plan this 14-to-16-pound roast turkey as the centerpiece for a holiday meal with leftovers already in mind: make the herb butter ahead, thaw the bird in advance, and roast it close to serving. Garlic herb butter gives the meat a juicy texture and the skin a crisp, browned finish.
Softened unsalted butter is mashed with fresh sage, thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper, then rubbed over the dried turkey. Lemon halves, herb sprigs, and peeled garlic cloves fill the cavity. The bird starts in a 450F oven before the heat drops to 350F, a method that gets roasting underway without basting or added liquid in the pan.
Expect the skin to brown well before the thigh reaches doneness; loosely cover it with non-stick foil for the remaining cooking time when that happens. An instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh is the key cue, and testing 30 minutes early prevents timing surprises. The most common error is carving immediately, which lets the redistributed juices run out instead of staying in the meat.
Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes while you turn the pan juices into gravy, then carve it like a chicken. Refrigerate carved leftovers for later meals, or freeze portions for soups, chili, or other turkey dishes. Roasting it on a rack keeps the bird elevated and avoids steaming the skin.
Why you'll love this recipe
- The herb butter can be mashed ahead, so the main seasoning work is finished before the turkey comes out of its packaging.
- A 14-to-16-pound bird serves 10, giving a holiday table substantial portions and leaving enough carved turkey to plan later meals.
- Roasting requires no basting, which leaves time to prepare side dishes while the turkey cooks unattended in the oven.
- Carved leftovers refrigerate well for later meals, and the article also suggests freezing portions for turkey soup or chili.
- The turkey freezes for 2 to 3 months, making it practical to portion extra meat instead of rushing through every leftover.
- Pan drippings can become gravy during the 20-minute resting period, so serving components come together without another lengthy cooking task.
Ingredients
- •1 whole turkey (14-16 pound; see note)
- •salt (to taste)
- •pepper (to taste)
- •1 cup unsalted butter (softened (2 sticks))
- •1 tablespoon fresh sage (chopped finely)
- •1 tablespoon fresh thyme (chopped finely)
- •1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (chopped finely)
- •4 cloves garlic (minced)
- •1 teaspoon salt
- •0.5 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- •1 lemon (halved)
- •fresh sage (a few sprigs)
- •fresh thyme (a few sprigs)
- •fresh rosemary (a few sprigs)
- •1 head garlic (broken into cloves and peeled)
Instructions
- 1
Take the turkey out of the fridge 1 hour before roasting and set it on a baking sheet. Take the butter out of the fridge to soften.
- 2
Add the butter and remaining herb butter ingredients to a bowl, then mash them together with a fork.
- 3
Preheat the oven to 450F and move a rack to the bottom third of the oven, removing the other racks.
- 4
Remove the turkey from its packaging and take out the giblets and neck, if included. Drain as much liquid as possible from the cavity, then return the turkey to the baking sheet.
- 5
Pat the turkey dry with paper towel. Season it with salt and pepper, including inside the cavity, using about 1 teaspoon of salt in total.
- 6
Stuff the cavity with the lemon, herb sprigs, and garlic cloves.
- 7
Rub the turkey all over with the herb butter, leaving the very bottom uncovered.
- 8
Tuck the wings under the turkey and tie the legs together with kitchen twine, if desired.
- 9
Place the turkey breast-side up on the rack of a roasting pan.
- 10
Put the roasting pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 350F.
- 11
Roast for about 3 hours for a 14-pound turkey, until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165F. Begin testing 30 minutes before the estimated roasting time is reached.
- 12
When the skin browns before the turkey is done, loosely cover the turkey with non-stick foil for the remainder of the cooking time.
- 13
Once cooked, carefully tilt the roasting rack so the juices inside the turkey spill into the bottom of the pan.
- 14
Lift the rack with the turkey on it and transfer the turkey to a large cutting board or plate.
- 15
Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
537
Protein
56g
Fat
33g
Carbs
3g
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