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Herb Butter Roast Turkey
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Herb Butter Roast Turkey

Herb Butter Roast Turkey

Cooking a whole turkey, especially your first time can seem a bit daunting. But following a few easy steps will result in a gorgeous, perfectly cooked turkey. Oh, and we added a ghost pepper to our herb butter for this turkey. It's optional, but that little hint of heat was a really nice change. Totally up to you though.

‍

Makes one 12-14 pound turkey

Ingredients

Turkey

Dry Brine

  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Herb Butter

  •  1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
  • 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Optional:

  • 1 small ghost pepper, finely minced or
  • 3 to 4 habanero peppers

For roasting - in the turkey

  • 1 onion, quartered
  • the lemon above, quartered
  • 1 head garlic, halved

For roasting - in the pan ‍

  • 3 stalks celery, rough chopped
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 3 large carrots, chunked
  • 2 leeks, chunked
  • 2 parsnips
  • A few sprigs of thyme and rosemary
  • 2 cups chicken stock

Directions

  1. Remove anything from the inside of the turkey (check both ends) and dry really really well with paper towels
  2. Mix the dry brine ingredients well, and cover the turkey all over with the mixture, including adding some to the cavity. Place uncovered on a rack set over a sheet pan and put in the fridge for at least 24 hours, up to 48
  3. When ready to cook, remove turkey from the fridge and let it sit at room temp for about 1 hour
  4. Preheat oven to 450
  5. While it sits, combine the herb butter ingredients well in a bowl (including the peppers if using) mix well until smooth
  6. Carefully loosen the skin over the breast and thighs, and rub about half the butter under the skin, then spread the rest all over the outside.
  7. Stuff the cavity with quartered onion, lemon and halved garlic
  8. Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, and surround with the celery, onion, carrots, leeks, parsnips and thyme & rosemary and pour the chicken stock into the bottom of the pan - not on the turkey
  9. Roast 30 minutes (just keep an eye on it) then reduce oven to 325 and continue roasting 2½–3 hours more, (roughly 13 to 15 minutes per pound)
  10. You're looking for the thickest part of the breast to hit 160, and thighs around 170 - the breast will likely get there before the thighs, and if so tent the breast and leg tops with foil if browning too quickly
  11. Remove from oven, tent loosely with foil and rest 30–45 minutes before carving
  12. Use the drippings for gravy if desired

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