Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Favorite Recipes: Herb-roasted Turkey

Recipe Author

Name: Shannon B.
Total Recipes: 3

Details

Title:

Herb-roasted Turkey

Dish: DInner
Dish Type: Meats
Cooking Method: Roasted
Difficulty: 3 / 10
Servings: 10
Prep Time:
Cook Time: 4/14 - 5 hours
Recipes

Ingredients
  • 15-20 Pound - Turkey
  • - Salt
  • 1/4 cup - Soft butter
  • 2 tbs - Chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 tsp dried, crushed)
  • 6-8 - Chopped fresh sage leaves (or 2-3 tsp dried)
  • 1 tbs - Chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
  • 1 tsp - Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp - Finely grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 tsp - Ground black pepper
  • 1-2 cups - Chicken broth
Directions
1. Position the rack in the bottom third of the oven and heat the oven to 325º. Remove the turkey neck, heart, and gizzard and discard or reserve for another use. Rinse the bird well inside and out and pat dry, then salt the cavity. 2. In a small mixing bowl, blend the butter, herbs, mustard, lemon zest, and pepper. Starting at the tail end, gently slide your hand under the skin of the turkey breast to loosen it. Using your fingers, smear a generous tablespoon of the butter mixture on each half of the breast. Smear half of the remaining herb butter on the exposed flesh near the neck. Then smear the remaining herb butter over the skin of the breast. (If you are not stuffing the bird, pull up the excess skin at the neck to seal, and secure it to the body of the bird with a small skewer or toothpicks.) 3. Loosely fill the neck cavity with stuffing. Pull up the excess skin at the neck to seal, and secure it to the body with a small skewer or toothpicks. Loosely fill the main cavity with stuffing. Tie together the legs with kitchen twine, or secure them with the plastic leg clamps if the bird came with them. Tuck the wing tips under the bird so they don't scorch 4. Place the turkey directly in a large roasting pan or on a rack inside the roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour without opening the oven. After 1 hour, add 1 cup of chicken broth to the pan. Rotate the pan 180º. Continue to roast until the meat registers 180º, measured at the thickest part of the inside thigh; do not let the thermometer touch bone. At the center of the cavity, the stuffing should register 165º. Add more broth to the pan, if necessary, to keep the pan juices from burning. Total cooking time for a stuffed turkey should be 4 1/4 to 5 hours (for an unstuffed bird, subtract 30 minutes). Transfer the turkey to a large platter. Cover and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes. Pour the pan juices into a 2-cup measure and set aside for the gravy.

Notes
I found this recipe a few years ago on familyfun.go.com, it makes the moistest, most flavorful turkey I've ever had, and the gravy is fabulous. Really, you'll never make a dry, overcooked turkey again!

Member Comments

Leave a comment about this recipe...