Classic Oven Roasted Turkey with Garlic Herb Butter
This classic oven-roasted turkey recipe delivers everything you love about Thanksgiving—a golden-brown, crispy skin and tender, juicy meat. The garlic herb butter, loaded with fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage, enhances the turkey's flavor while carrots and onions beneath the bird infuse the drippings with a rich, savory taste. Perfect for creating a centerpiece that feels both comforting and celebratory.
Classic Oven Roasted Turkey with Garlic Herb Butter
Roasting a turkey the classic way is perfect for those who enjoy the traditional, golden-brown look and juicy texture of a well-cooked bird. This recipe uses a garlic herb butter that infuses the turkey with flavour and keeps it moist while it roasts over a bed of carrots and onions.
- Author
- Jeremy Potvin
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey (15 lbs)
- 200g unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large carrots, halved
- 4 small onions, halved
Directions
- Prep the Turkey: Remove the giblets and neck from the cavity. Place the turkey on a sheet pan with a grate and refrigerate uncovered overnight or for 24 hours to dry the skin out. This will help achieve crispy skin when roasting.
- Season and Prepare the Herb Butter: Take the turkey out of the fridge 1-2 hours before roasting to bring it to room temperature. In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with minced garlic, chopped rosemary, sage, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Butter the Turkey: Carefully loosen the skin over the turkey breast and legs. Rub the garlic herb butter generously under the skin and all over the entire bird, making sure it's well coated.
- Prepare the Roasting Pan: Cut 2 large carrots and 4 small onions in half. Place them in the bottom of the roasting pan, cut side down. This creates some space between the turkey and the pan, ensuring that the bottom doesn’t stick and that the drippings pick up the flavour of the carrots and onions.
- Roast the Turkey: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place the turkey on top of the carrots and onions in the roasting pan. Roast at 450°F for 20 minutes, then drop the temperature to 325°F and continue roasting for about 15 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh.
- Baste for Extra Crispiness: Every 30-45 minutes, baste the turkey with its own pan juices to keep the skin crispy and the meat juicy.
- Rest the Turkey: Once the turkey has reached the correct internal temperature, remove it from the oven and loosely cover with foil. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.