Herb Roasted Turkey

5 from 2 votes
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Oh so flavorful! This Herb Roasted Turkey will leave you and the people you serve it LOVING turkey. It is loaded with flavor from herbs and minced garlic. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or for dinner any time of the year!

Whole turkey on white platter, garnished with parsley

Serve this roast turkey with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Butter Green Beans, and Fried Carrots.

For more roast recipes, check out our Perfect Roast Chicken, Herb Roasted Duck, and Roasted Turkey Thighs.

Ingredients for Herb Roasted Turkey

For Herb Roasted Turkey you need the following ingredients:

  • Turkey
  • Butter
  • Garlic
  • Herbs: Rosemary, Thyme, Sage and Parsley
  • Bouillon Powder (Stock Powder)
  • Salt
  • Black Pepper

For the full list of ingredients with measurements, check out the recipe card below.

How To Make Herb Roasted Turkey

1. Completely thaw a turkey and bring it to room temperature. It is important for the turkey to be at room temperature so the butter can easily stick on it.

2. In a bowl mix together room temperature or softened butter, minced garlic, herbs, bouillon powder, salt and pepper.

Garlic herb butter in a bowl

3. Rub the garlic herb butter underneath the turkey skin and all over the turkey. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with more herbs.

Turkey rubbed with garlic herb butter.

4. Tuck the turkey wings underneath the bird’s back.

5. Tie the legs of the bird with butcher’s twine.

6. Transfer the bird to a roasting pan.

7. Roast until the turkey registers an internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit.

Roasted turkey in roasting pan.

8. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Whole herb roasted turkey on a platter.

How To Tell If Turkey is Done

When the turkey is done, the juices in the meat will run clear. Cut a slit on a turkey breast. If the juices run clear then the turkey is done.

Also, check if the turkey is done by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey. If it registers 165° Fahrenheit (About 70 ° Celsius) then the turkey is done.

How To Carve a Turkey

After roasting a turkey, let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. To carve a turkey you need a sharp knife and a secure cutting board. To secure a cutting board place paper towels or a kitchen towel under it so it stays in place. Here is how to carve a turkey:

1. Start by cutting out the legs and thighs from both sides.

2. Move on to the wings and cut them where the wings join the body. Separate the wings at the joints.

3. Then cut the turkey breasts cutting the meat away from the bone but as close to the bone as possible.

4. Slice the turkey breasts.

5. Separate the thigh from the drumstick.

6. Slice the thigh into nice slices if desired or leave them as is.

7. Arrange everything on a platter and garnish it with herbs like rosemary, thyme, or parsley.

A platter of carved herb roasted turkey.

What To Serve With Herb Roasted Turkey (Best Sides)

More Turkey Recipes

Roasted Chicken Recipes

Important Tools for Making Roast Turkey

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Whole turkey on white platter, garnished with parsley

Herb Roasted Turkey

5 from 2 votes
This Herb Roasted Turkey is loaded with flavor from the garlic herb butter used. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or Dinner!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients  

  • 8-9 pound turkey (3-4 kg) thawed and at room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 16 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon minced rosemary
  • 1 Tablespoon thyme fresh, plucked from stems
  • 2 Tablespoons minced parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1 handful sprigs of herbs, for stuffing turkey cavity I used 2 springs rosemary, 4 sprigs thyme, 1 sprig sage

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 450° Fahrenheit (230° Celsius).
  • Squeeze lemon juice over room temperature turkey. Let it rest while you prepare other ingredients.
  • Make garlic herb butter. In a bowl combine the butter, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage, chicken bouillon powder, salt and black pepper.
  • Rub the garlic herb butter underneath the turkey wings and all over the turkey. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the garlic herb butter.
  • Tuck the turkey wings under the body of the bird.
  • Tie the turkey together using kitchen twine.
  • Stuff the turkey with the handful of herbs.
  • Transfer the turkey to roasting pan.
  • Roast at 450° Fahrenheit (230° Celsius) for 30 minutes. Remove the bird from the oven and carefully brush the reserved 2 tablespoons of garlic herb butter all over the turkey.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 350° Fahrenheit (180° Celsius). Place the turkey back into the oven and let it cook for one hour. A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the turkey should read 165° Fahrenheit or 70° Celsius.

Notes

When turkey is done, the juices in the meat will run clear. Cut a slit on a turkey breast. If the juices run clear then the turkey is done.
Also check if turkey is done by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey. It is registers 165° Fahrenheit (About 70 ° Celsius) then the turkey is done.

Nutrition

Calories: 705kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 110g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 304mg | Sodium: 952mg | Potassium: 1265mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 5mg

Additional Info

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 705
Tried this recipe?Mention @preciouscore or tag #PreciousCore!

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About Precious

Welcome to my core! I am Precious Nkeih, the recipe developer and writer right here on my blog, Precious Core. My goal is to show you insanely delicious recipes you can replicate in your kitchen. And I love to tell stories too. Hope you find recipes here that will make cooking easier for you! Check me out on YouTube at YouTube.com/PreciousKitchen.


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