Roasted Turkey With Compound Butter

roasted turkey on serving platter with fruit and herbs.

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Roasted Turkey With Compound Butter

Learn how to cook a turkey from start to finish with the help of this beginner's guide. You'll learn how to brine, season, and roast the perfect Thanksgiving turkey.

Prep Time30

Cook Time3

Resting Time1

Total Time4 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 734kcal

Author: Jessica Mode

Equipment

roasting pan
kitchen twine

Ingredients

16 pound turkey thawed
½ cup compound butter
3 teaspoons Morton kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons finely ground black pepper
1 clove garlic sliced in half
1 lemon quartered
1 onion roughly chopped
2 cups chicken stock plus more as needed
1 cup white wine (or more chicken stock)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more as needed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Remove the neck and giblets from the inside of the cavity (toss or store in the refrigerator to use later). Allow turkey to come to room temperature, about 1–2 hours.
Heat oven to 325°F (165°C).
Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Place turkey breast side up in a roasting pan.
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 (you may want to omit if you used a salty brine).
Fill the cavity with garlic, lemon, and onion, then tie turkey legs together with kitchen twine. Pour chicken stock and white wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.
Cook turkey for 2+ hours (see suggested cooking times below), rotating halfway through the cooking process, until the thickest part of the turkey breast reaches 155°F (68°C) on a digital thermometer (make sure the thermometer isn't hitting a bone). Every 30 minutes baste the turkey by pouring drippings at the bottom of the pan over the turkey skin (this helps to keep the meat moist) then brush the skin with olive oil to achieve a golden brown color and crispy skin. If you notice there's no liquid in the bottom of the pan, add additional chicken stock. Once the skin is golden brown, loosely cover with aluminum foil to prevent overcooked breast and burnt skin.
Allow turkey to rest for 45–60+ minutes before carving.
If you wish to make gravy, save the turkey drippings. If you wish to make stock, save the turkey bones.

Notes

Suggested Turkey Cooking Times:

8–10 pounds: 2–2.5 hours
10–12 pounds: 2.5–3 hours
12–14 pounds: 3–3.5 hours
14–18 pounds: 3.5–4.5 hours

Thaw: If you choose to purchase a frozen turkey, then the first step is to thaw the turkey before cooking.

To thaw in the refrigerator, place the still-packaged turkey on a large baking tray to catch any liquid that drains while thawing. Then, place it in the refrigerator until fully thawed. Allow 1 day of thawing for every 4 pounds of turkey.

To thaw in the sink, place the still-packaged turkey in a sink or container that's filled with cold water. Never use warm or hot water as it will heat the turkey and could lead to harmful bacteria growth. Change the water every 30 minutes to ensure it stays cold. Allow 30 minutes of thawing for every 1 pound of turkey.

Brine: If your turkey has not been pre-brined or seasoned, you can ensure it stays moist and has great flavor by brining the turkey. Use a dry brine for 24–48 hours before cooking or a wet brine 12–24 hours before cooking.

If you brined the turkey, you may want to hold off on adding additional salt to the turkey in order to avoid over-salting.

Compound Butter: Any flavor of compound butter will work for this recipe.

Glaze: If you're using a glaze, brush the glaze on the turkey instead of basting with turkey drippings. Be sure to only add the glaze after the skin has browned.

Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

Freeze leftovers: Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition