Description
Get ready to serve a golden, juicy holiday centerpiece everyone will remember. This Perfect Roast Turkey is packed with citrus, garlic, butter, and fresh herbs for classic flavor and crisp skin. It is a great easy dinner for the holidays, a comforting main dish for family gatherings, and one of those food ideas that makes any celebration feel special. If you need Thanksgiving dinner ideas, holiday meal inspiration, or an easy roast turkey recipe that looks impressive and tastes even better, this one delivers.
Ingredients
1 whole turkey (12 to 16 pounds), thawed
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 onion, quartered
1 orange, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
4 garlic cloves, smashed
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh sage
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
1 lemon, zested
1 orange, zested
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth or white wine
Instructions
1. Pat the turkey dry very well with paper towels. Rub the kosher salt all over the turkey, including under the skin where possible. Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan and refrigerate uncovered for 24 to 48 hours.
2. In a bowl, mix the softened butter with the chopped rosemary, thyme, sage, lemon zest, orange zest, and minced garlic until combined.
3. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator about 1 hour before roasting. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
4. Stuff the cavity with the quartered onion, orange, lemon, smashed garlic, and herb sprigs. Tuck the wings under the bird and tie the legs loosely with kitchen twine.
5. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and rub part of the herb butter underneath. Rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the turkey, then season with black pepper.
6. Add the chopped carrots, celery, and onion to the roasting pan if using. Pour the chicken broth or white wine into the bottom of the pan. Set the turkey breast side up on the rack.
7. Roast the turkey for 45 minutes at 425 degrees F. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue roasting until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees F, about 13 minutes per pound total.
8. If the skin starts browning too quickly, loosely tent the turkey with foil and continue roasting until done.
9. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving. Serve warm.
Notes
Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh and do not touch the bone for the most accurate reading.
Dry brining for 24 to 48 hours helps create juicy meat and deeply browned, crispy skin.
Letting the turkey rest before carving keeps more juices inside the meat instead of running onto the board.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 640 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 48 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg