Description
How to cook a perfect Roast Turkey! With no need to brine, and slathered with a herb butter you will get a moist, juicy, golden, and delicious turkey!
Ingredients
Scale
- 19 lb turkey
- 2 sticks butter
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
Instructions
- Thaw out the turkey. Keep in mind that it can take up to 3-4 days to thaw in the refrigerator depending on the size of your turkey. It takes about 24 hours for every 5 lbs of turkey to thaw.
- Once thawed and ready to go, preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
- Pull the neck and giblets out of the turkey. Either discard or save to add to turkey soup.
- Rinse the turkey with cool water. Then using paper towels, pat the whole turkey dry. Your butter rub won’t stick if the turkey skin is wet.
- In a small bowl combine 2 sticks of softened butter, 2 tbsp chopped rosemary, 2 tbsp chopped sage, 2 chopped thyme. Mix together, you might find it easier to use your hands.
- Spread the herb butter all over the turkey. If the turkey is completely covered, then add the rest of the butter to the inside of the cavity.
- If you choose to stuff the turkey with any vegetables, insert them into the cavity of the turkey now.
- Tie a string around the 2 legs. It’s ok if you forget this step, but your bird won’t look as pretty but will still taste good.
- By now the oven should be preheated. Put the turkey in the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
- After the timer goes at 30 minutes, turn the temperature down to 325 degrees for the remaining cook time.
- The skin should start to get golden brown, but to ensure it doesn’t get burnt, make a tent foil and put it over the turkey. Just lay a piece of foil over the top of the bird. (Check the chart above for cooking times)
- Check the turkey using a meat thermometer. It needs to be at 165 degrees in the thickest part of the turkey.
- Take out of the oven and let it rest for 15-40 minutes.
- Carve your turkey. (See instructions above on how to carve a turkey)
Notes
- See above instructions for how to brine a turkey
- It takes about 24 hours per 5 lbs of turkey to thaw in the fridge
- Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity
- Remove the turkey about 30 minutes before working with it
- This is a very important step…after you rinse the turkey, make sure to pat the whole bird dry otherwise your butter rub will not stick to the turkey
- Don’t stuff the turkey with stuffing. But you can stuff it with vegetables or fresh herbs
- To make sure you have enough to make gravy, add about 4 cups of water to the bottom of your roasting pan
- See the chart above for cooking times
- Using a meat thermometer the turkey needs to reach 165 degrees
- You can roast a turkey while still 100% frozen, but it will take about double the amount of time to cook plus you can not start it with any type of rub
- Cover the turkey with a piece of foil while roasting so the skin doesn’t burn
- Let it rest on the counter for about 15-40 minutes so the juices soak into the bird
- For help carving the turkey, see above instructions
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Courses
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American