Description
This is seriously the Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe ever! It packs tons of flavor and makes a juicy Thanksgiving turkey slathered with garlic herb butter and browned to perfection. No brining needed in this easy, no-fuss turkey recipe!
Ingredients
Scale
- 15 lb. turkey, neck + giblets removed, completely thawed and patted dry
- large sheet of double lined cheesecloth
- 1 large orange, cut into quarters
- 2 small lemons
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock or broth
Garlic Herb Compound Butter:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon salt (I used black truffle salt from Sur la Table)
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Remove turkey from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey and completely pat dry.
- Place turkey on a large wire rack lined roasting pan.
- To make the garlic herb compound butter: place softened butter in a medium bowl along with salt, tarragon, sage, thyme, rosemary, garlic cloves, and fresh lemon zest. Mash together using a fork or spoon until everything is combined.
- Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and then stuff with oranges and lemons and any left over herbs you have. (sage, thyme, rosemary or tarragon)
- Starting at the breast, using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the body of the bird so you have a little “pocket.”
- Gently rub 3/4 of the butter mixture under the skin, spreading it out so both sides of the turkey breast part are covered.
- Place the remaining butter in the microwave and melt.
- Dunk the cheese cloth in the melted butter mixture and completely soak the cheese cloth.
- Add any remaining herbs or garlic on top of the skin and drap the butter soaked cheese cloth over most of the turkey.
- Add 4 cups of chicken stock/broth to the roasted pan.
- Place the turkey in the oven at 425 degrees F for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the oven and bast.
- Place turkey back in the oven and roast for another 2 1/2 to 3 hours at 350 degrees until the thickest part of the turkey thigh readers 160 degrees F. Bast turkey with the drippings from the pan throughout the roasting process.
- Once turkey reads 160 degrees F remove from oven then gently remove the cheesecloth. Transfer turkey to a cutting board and cover with a tent of tin foil. Let rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Before slicing take the temperature one last time to ensure it is at a safe 165 degrees F.
- Slice and serve!
Notes
*Cheese cloth method from Martha Stewart.
