Look no further. This is the tastiest, most foolproof roast turkey recipe ever. It practically guarantees a fantastic Thanksgiving bird.
Please tell me that some of you were completely freaked out the first time you had to conjure up a roast turkey without the help of your mum or grandmother. I know I was. Sure, I had watched my mum and mother-in-law work their holiday magic on many turkeys in previous years. I kind of helped them - you know, smearing a little butter on the drumsticks, basting with the drippings. However, if someone asked my opinion on whether or not the turkey was cooked through, I threw up my hands and referred them to the wiser cooks in the kitchen.
And then came the time when I had to do it all on my own. It was one of the first Thanksgivings after my husband and I were married and I knew I had to bite the bullet. The true meaning of the holiday flew out the door as I obsessed over whether I was going to poison our guests with an underdone turkey.
In an effort to avoid repeating the Christmas dinner scene from the Griswold's Christmas dinner in Christmas Vacation (you know, when the turkey explodes in a puff because it is so overdone), I sat down to do some serious research. Calls were made to my parents for turkey roasting instructions and the recipe for my dad's famous stuffing, the Butterball hotline was put on speed dial and I made sure to buy a turkey with one of those "thermometers" embedded in the turkey that are supposed to pop out when the bird is done. (Note to self: Never EVER lay your trust in a little plastic doo-hickey to determine the fate of your holiday entree.)
And then I came across this recipe in Bon Appetit Magazine. It has become our go-to recipe, one that gives us perfect results every time. What makes it so magical? Well, it starts with the butter mixture, packed full of fresh sage, thyme and parsley, that is smeared under the skin and over the surface of the turkey. What really pushes this recipe over the top, however, are the rich, dark brown drippings that come from a mixture of the turkey juices and the shallots roasting in the bottom of the pan. Basting with these juices helps to produce golden brown, crispy skin on the outside of the turkey.
Serve the roasted shallots alongside the turkey for an unexpected flavor treat. Be sure to use those drippings (skimmed of fat) and the browned shallot bits on the bottom of the pan to make some of the best gravy you may ever taste. I know the gravy is meant for the mashed potatoes but, seriously, I could drink the stuff. Be sure to check out How to Make Gravy: Recipe & Troubleshooting for more tips.
Happy roasting!
The roast turkey recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together softened butter, sage, thyme and parsley until well combined.
Remove the neck and other innards from the turkey cavity. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Place the carrot, celery and onion quarters into the cavity of the turkey. Tie the turkey legs together and tuck the wings underneath the turkey, using small skewers to secure, if necessary.
Starting at the neck end, slide your hands under the breast skin to loosen. Smear 3 tablespoons of the herb butter underneath the breast skin. Smear another 4 tablespoons of the herb butter over the entire topside of the turkey.
Place the turkey in the roasting pan, breast side up. Scatter the shallots around the turkey, on the bottom of the roasting pan. Cover the breasts with foil and place the turkey in the oven. Roast the turkey for 1 ½ hours, basting it with ½ cup chicken broth every 30 minutes.
Remove the foil from the breast. If you find that the legs are browning too much, cover each drumstick with foil. Roast the turkey until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh (be sure not to hit the bone) registers 170 degrees F, basting every 30 minutes with the pan drippings, about 1 hour total.
The dark color of the drippings comes from the roasted shallots in the bottom of the pan. The flavor is unbelievably good.
Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a platter, tent with foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving. Remove the carrot, celery and onion from the cavity and discard.
How to serve the roast turkey:
Remove the shallots from the pan and serve with the gravy. Use the remaining brown bits on the bottom of the pan and the remaining herb butter to make the gravy. See How to Make Gravy: Recipe & Troubleshooting. Not sure how to slice it up? No problem - I've got you covered with my How to Carve a Turkey photo tutorial.
Other roast turkey recipes:
Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Turkey Breast {Cookin' Canuck}
Spice Rubbed Roast Turkey {Cookin' Canuck}
Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey {She Wears Many Hats}
Savour Fare's Dry Brined Roast Turkey
Cajun Baked Turkey Breast & Dressing {RecipeTin Eats}
Printable Recipe
Roasted Turkey with Herb Butter & Roasted Shallots
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 15-to-16 pound turkey
- Salt and pepper to season cavity
- 1 ¼ pounds shallots peeled and cut in half through the root
- 1 carrot unpeeled
- 1 large celery stalk cut in half crosswise
- 1 medium onion peeled and quartered
- 3 cups approximately chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together softened butter, sage, thyme and parsley until well combined.
- Remove the neck and other innards from the turkey cavity. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Place the carrot, celery and onion quarters into the cavity of the turkey.
- Tie the turkey legs together and tuck the wings underneath the turkey, using small skewers to secure, if necessary.
- Starting at the neck end, slide your hands under the breast skin to loosen. Smear 3 tablespoons of the herb butter underneath the breast skin. Smear another 4 tablespoons of the herb butter over the entire topside of the turkey.
- Place the turkey in the roasting pan, breast side up. Scatter the shallots around the turkey, on the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Cover the breasts with foil and place the turkey in the oven. Roast the turkey for 2 hours, basting it with ½ cup chicken broth every 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil from the breast. If you find that the legs are browning too much, cover each drumstick with foil. Roast the turkey until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh (be sure not to hit the bone) registers 170 degrees F, basting every 30 minutes with the pan drippings, about 1 hour total.
- Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a platter, tent with foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
- Remove the carrot, celery and onion from the cavity and discard.
- Remove the shallots from the pan and serve with the gravy. Use the remaining brown bits on the bottom of the pan and the remaining herb butter to make the gravy.
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Liz
Thank you, Dara.
Alicia
I have been waiting for 2013 posts to this recipe. This will be my first year trying this recipe and if Kendra has been doing it for 3 years I feel pretty confident about the recipe. I am doing a small turkey this year (13 lbs) and I'm cooking it in a roaster, like I've done every year. So will my turkey turn out ok if done in the roaster and not the oven? Might sound like a silly question but ya never know! Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!
Audrea
This is my first time to ever comment on a post, so I hope you get it. Growing up, my dad always covered the roasting pan & cooked breast side down so that the breasts are always in the juice. Are you leaving yours uncovered & using only foil on the breasts? Also, I've only used the "speckled blue" roasting pan, like my dad did :), & if you, or anyone else out there, know which style I'm talking about, can I put that on a gas burning stovetop? This recipe has given me the courage to "do it myself" this year instead of buying the meal prepared by our local grocer, ready to reheat. You've given me the courage to go for it!! I'm actually very excited…& nervous.
Kendra
This will be my third year in a row making your turkey. I found your recipe while frantically searching for tips on how to make my very first Thanksgiving turkey. I can't thank you enough! I had people telling me it was the best turkey they have ever had. Not only a relief, but a new feeling of pride and even a new tradition for my friends and family! I'm their turkey master. Thank you so much for the recipe and the confidence building tips throughout. Just fantastic!!!
Cara
This is my second year using this recipe... last year turned out fine, but it was my first turkey and I made some rookie mistakes.
This year, non-frozen, hormone free bird. Kerrygold butter, nothing but fresh herbs. Lowered the rack so the bird doesn't brown TOO quickly... I can't believe the smell in the house. THANK YOU! Best bird ever.
Amanda
I don't think it was my first turkey, but definitely one of the firsts where I left the giblets inside. UGH. The turkey was way undercooked as a result. That was over 20 years ago and do you know to this day, every Thanksgiving, my husband asks "Did you take out the giblets"? Smart a$$. I brine all the time now and just love it. I ADORE the idea of using the root veggies in the cavity, and shallots are one of my faves. I also do an herb butter, so amazing isn't it!? This is picture perfect beautiful Dara, just stumbled. Merry Christmas!
Brian @ A Thought For Food
This looks magical! Bet your house smelled wonderful!
Shannon
I used this recipe for my Thanksgiving turkey and it was delicious, especially the shallot gravy! I didn't notice the quantity of shallots in the recipe list so I only bought one (a large one). After cooking there wasn't much there so I chopped them up into bits and added the pieces to the gravy. It was my favorite part of the meal!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
The shallots really do add something special to this recipe. Next time be sure to try the recipe with the 1 1/2 pounds of shallots. That will yield plenty of browned bits on the bottom to make a fantastic gravy and browned shallots to eat alongside the turkey or tuck into turkey sandwiches the next day.
Winnie
Beuatiful! Happy Thanksgiving Dara 🙂
Asmita
This turkey looks beautiful and delicious! The photos are amazing too.
I have never roasted a turkey before but this year will be the first. Wish me luck please.
Katie
This looks delicious!!! Will use this recipe this year! Thank you for sharing...
Diane {Created by Diane}
Oh my goodness this looks wonderful!
marla
Can you please come over to our house to cook up this perfect Thanksgiving turkey. Looks amazing Dara! I can hop a plane for the leftovers 😉
Kathy - Panini Happy
What an absolutely beautiful bird!!
Culinary Collage
I was looking for a new turkey recipe this year for Thanksgiving and this sounds like a winner........thanks for the post!
Wenderly
THAT is one gorgeous turkey Dara.
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc.
this looks fabulous Dara! Way to go!
Donna
No, Dara - you are not alone. I too have memories of my first (and very dry) Thanksgiving bird. Yours is a beautiful sight to behold with that translucent skin!
Jen at The Three Little Piglets
I was the same exact way! I figured the turkey would be all right, but I could not for the life of me figure out how to time everything else so that it would all be done at the same time. And I had no idea you had to let the turkey rest before you cut it. So all the juices ran out and it carryover cooked a teeny bit too long! 15 years later we still laugh about it! Live and learn, right?
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme
What a beautiful turkey, Dara! I especially like the idea of the roasted shallots and can just imagine how well they flavor the gravy. I'm going to steal some of your ideas for my turkey next Thursday 🙂