Make three flavors of compound butter to pair with your holiday turkey. Rub the butter on the turkey's skin to impart flavor and help the meat stay juicy and moist.
Want To Save This Article?
Enter your email below and we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll receive new weekly recipe inspiration.
The key to a delicious turkey is adding lots of intentional flavor. One easy way to do this is with compound butter.
If you're new to cooking, compound butter is plain butter mixed with other spices and flavorings.
The reason I love this recipe is that butter is essential for roasting a turkey. Not only does it impart amazing flavor, but it helps the meat stay juicy and moist.
When using compound butter, you'll rub it between the skin and on the body. You can also use some additional melted compound butter to baste the bird as it's cooking.
Let's jump into how to make these flavored butters! Then, follow my how to roast a turkey guide to finish things off.
Jump to:
What You'll Learn In This Recipe
- How to make savory flavored compound butters that pair with turkey.
- Tips for storing and making ahead.
- Why I prefer to use unsalted butter in my recipes.
If you're preparing Thanksgiving dinner, don't forget to grab my (free) timeline to keep yourself organized and on track!
Ingredients You Need
The main ingredients you'll need for every recipe include:
- Unsalted butter: I like to control the amount of salt in the recipe, so I use unsalted butter. If you use salted butter, be sure to adjust accordingly with the additional seasonings and brining.
- Spices: To ensure your spices haven't expired, give them a sniff. If they still smell fragrant, the spices should be good to use!
- Fresh produce: If you're using garlic, chives, or lemon peel, ensure the ingredients are clean and dirt-free before adding to the butter.
Check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Make This Recipe
You'll be amazed at how easy it is to whip up these compound butters. It only takes about 5 minutes!
1. Add the butter, spices, and flavorings together in a mixing bowl. It's really important that the butter is at room temperature before you begin.
2. Next, mix everything together with an electric hand mixer or silicone spatula until combined. You can even use clean hands to mix the butter if you're feeling crazy!
3. You can immediately use the room temperature butter or form it into a log using parchment paper and store it in the refrigerator.
4. When you're ready to roast the turkey, pat it dry with paper towels. Loosen the turkey skin on the breast. Generously spread one-third of the compound butter under the skin, and the remaining two-thirds on the outside of the turkey skin.
Season the outer skin with salt and pepper. Then, roast the turkey according to these instructions.
Expert Tips
- To soften butter: Place butter on the counter 2 - 4 hours before making this recipe to soften to room temperature. Alternatively, heat in the microwave on 50 power (medium) for 5 seconds. Repeat as needed until softened but not melted.
- Make Ahead: These compound butters can be made up to 1 - 2 weeks ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator until you're ready to use. Then, allow the butter to come up to room temperature before spreading on the turkey.
Recipe FAQs
I would not suggest using these flavored butters for dinner rolls. They are very seasoned and would taste too strong on bread. That being said, it's perfect on a turkey because the flavor is more distributed.
As a recipe developer, I've chosen to use unsalted butter to have more control over the recipe. I like to brine my turkey and also add additional salt before roasting. Since the amount of salt added to butter is not standardized, some salted butter may have more salt added compared to other brands. As a way to standardize recipes, I always use unsalted butter and then add my own salt.
I typically use ½ cup (113 grams) of butter for one 16 pound (7 kilo) turkey.
Since the butter will help the skin become roasted and crispy, it should go on at the beginning of the cooking process before you begin cooking.
More Turkey Recipes
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below. Don't forget to follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest for more recipes.
3 Compound Butters for Turkey
Equipment
- electric hand mixer or silicone spatula
Ingredients
Garlic and Chive Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
Herb Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon peel (about 2 medium lemons)
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons dried sage
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
Spicy Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
For Garlic and Chive Butter
- Mix butter, chives, and garlic with an electric hand mixer or silicone spatula until combined.
- Use immediately or form into a log using parchment paper and store in the refrigerator.
- When you're ready to roast the turkey, pat dry with paper towels. Loosen the turkey skin on the breast. Generously spread one third of the compound butter under the skin, and the remaining two thirds on the outside of the turkey skin. Season outer skin with salt and pepper. Then, roast the turkey according to these instructions.
For Herb Butter
- Mix butter, lemon peel, rosemary, sage, and thyme with an electric hand mixer or silicone spatula until combined.
- Use immediately or form into a log using parchment paper and store in the refrigerator.
- When you're ready to roast the turkey, pat dry with paper towels. Loosen the turkey skin on the breast. Generously spread one third of the compound butter under the skin, and the remaining two thirds on the outside of the turkey skin. Season outer skin with salt and pepper. Then, roast the turkey according to these instructions.
Spicy Butter
- Mix butter, paprika, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder with an electric hand mixer or silicone spatula until combined.
- Use immediately or form into a log using parchment paper and store in the refrigerator.
- When you're ready to roast the turkey, pat dry with paper towels. Loosen the turkey skin on the breast. Generously spread one third of the compound butter under the skin, and the remaining two thirds on the outside of the turkey skin. Season outer skin with salt and pepper. Then, roast the turkey according to these instructions.
Leave a Reply