Garlic and Herb Roasted Turkey

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so I figured it was high time I share a recipe with you all for a whole turkey!

Normally I go for a turkey breast (either bone-in or boneless), since they’re easier to store in the freezer/refrigerator, and easier to cook.

But this year we’ll have more people over for the holiday dinner, and I think a whole bird would really hit the spot!

This turkey recipe is super easy, with no complicated brining process, no fancy equipment, and no hard to find ingredients.

The bird is slathered with a super flavorful savory garlic and herb butter, then roasted in the oven until it’s golden brown and moist and tender.

What do I need to make this recipe?

• Turkey – this recipe is for a whole turkey, roughly 10-12 lbs.
• Onion – you can use a white, yellow, or sweet onion. I haven’t tested this recipe with red onion, but I think that would also work.
• Lemon – this recipe uses both the whole lemon as an aromatic as the turkey roasts, and the zest, which is in the butter.
• Herbs – the herbs used in both the turkey and the butter are rosemary, thyme, and sage.
• Butter – I use unsalted butter for this recipe, but if you want to use salted, just omit part of the salt from the butter mixture.
• Garlic – if you’d prefer not to use fresh minced garlic, you can pick up a jar or squeeze tube of pre-minced garlic or garlic paste. Use about 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp.
• Salt and pepper – I use kosher salt and ground black pepper.

How to make garlic and herb roasted turkey:

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Make garlic herb butter. Combine all butter ingredients (butter, herbs, garlic, zest, salt, and pepper).
2. Prep turkey. Remove neck and giblets from inside the turkey, then pat it very dry with paper towels.
3. Add aromatics and butter. Add the onion, lemon, and herbs to the cavity of the turkey. Rub butter mixture both under the skin, and over the top of the turkey.
4. Roast. Cook for around 13 minutes per pound, then let rest.

Variations of this recipe

• Larger turkey – this recipe calls for a modest 10-12 lb turkey, but I understand for larger families, you may need a larger turkey. You can use this recipe, you’ll just need to make more of the garlic herb butter (I would double it), and follow the instructions for how long to roast per pound.
• Turkey breast – conversely, if you don’t need, or don’t want, a whole turkey, this recipe will work with a bone in or boneless turkey breast as well. However, the cooking time will change, so please cook according to the butcher or package instructions, making sure to check that the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F.
• Salted butter – if you have salted butter, you can use that instead of the unsalted that’s called for. Just reduce the kosher salt in the butter by about half.
• Citrus – for some extra flavor, try adding some extra lemon zest, or try adding a little orange zest as well.
• Extra flavor boost – try adding about 1/2 cup dry white wine to the baking dish before roasting the turkey.
• Dried herbs – dried herbs are more potent than fresh, so if you’d like to use dried rosemary, sage, and thyme, use about 1/2 tsp of each.

Making roasted turkey ahead of time

Turkey definitely tastes best when made fresh, so I don’t recommend making this recipe entirely ahead of time.

However, parts of this recipe can be made ahead.

• Butter – the garlic herb butter can be combined and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Let the butter sit out at room temperature until softened before using.
• Aromatics – the onion, lemon, and herbs can be cut/sliced and kept refrigerated for several days.

Storage

Leftover carved turkey should be refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within 4-5 days.

These leftovers are great on a sandwich too!

Freezing

Carved turkey can also be frozen! Just add the slices to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months.

Thaw in the refrigerator and enjoy (either hot or cold).