Roast Turkey

5.00 (120)
⏱ 230 mins 🍽 1 Turkey, 10 serving(s) 🏷 Whole Turkey

This recipe guides you through preparing a whole roast turkey. The method involves creating a seasoned butter mixture to rub under the skin and over the bird before roasting. It is cooked initially covered with foil, then uncovered until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees. The total cooking time is approximately 230 minutes, though this will vary with the size of your turkey. The bird is roasted unstuffed for best results.

Roast Turkey

Ingredients

  • 1 (12 -20 lb) whole turkey
  • 4 tablespoons butter (real butter, more on outside for more browning)
  • chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder, granulated
  • 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon sage
  • 2 tablespoons paprika (more on outside for more browning)

Method

  1. Take out the giblets from both ends of the turkey and rinse the bird inside and out, then dry it with paper towel.
  2. Set a rack inside a large roasting pan and position the turkey on it with the breast facing upwards.
  3. Combine all the listed seasonings, excluding the paprika, with the butter.
  4. Slide your hand between the skin and the flesh from the rear and insert a palmful of the butter and seasoning mix underneath the skin.
  5. Take a generous amount of butter in your hand and rub it all over the outside of the turkey. Sprinkle the entire bird liberally with salt, ground black pepper, onion powder, granulated garlic powder, tarragon, parsley flakes, thyme, basil and paprika. Pour roughly 1/4" to 1/2" of chicken broth into the base of the roasting pan, taking care not to rinse the seasonings off the turkey.
  6. Cover the turkey completely with aluminium foil and put it into a preheated 325 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours. Take off the foil tent and wrap foil around the legs and wings.
  7. Baste the turkey and return it to the oven to finish cooking. It is done when the interior temperature hits 180 degrees or the juices run clear, not red, when pierced between the thigh and breast.
  8. The required cooking time will depend on the size of your turkey.
  9. Note that this turkey is cooked unstuffed.
  10. Any stuffing should be baked separately in dishes.
  11. You can also refer to recipe #105192 for a giblet gravy.
  12. For the final 10 or 15 minutes of cooking, raise the oven temperature to 375 or 400 degrees F. to enhance browning, but monitor it closely to avoid burning or drying out.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sodium1699100 mg

Recipe details

CategoryWhole Turkey
AuthorAlan Leonetti