| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 4 hr |
| Prep: | 30 min |
| Inactive: | 30 min |
| Cook: | 3 hr |
| Yield: | 12 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 4 hr |
| Prep: | 30 min |
| Inactive: | 30 min |
| Cook: | 3 hr |
| Yield: | 12 servings |
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 2 tablespoons garlic herb sauce mix (recommended: Knorr)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed garlic
- 1 (32-ounce) bag celery and carrot party sticks
- 2 large onions, large dice
- 1 (32-ounce) container low-sodium chicken broth
- 12-pound turkey, thawed if necessary
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 3 (3/4-ounce) packets fresh herbs poultry herb blend (sage, thyme and rosemary)
- 1 lemon, thickly sliced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine softened butter, poultry seasoning, garlic herb sauce mix, and crushed garlic. Use a fork to mix together until well combined. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes, until firm but not hard.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Arrange celery, carrots, and half of the diced onions in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add chicken broth and set aside.
- Rinse the thawed turkey and pat dry. Use your finger to carefully loosen the skin around the entire bird. Take the butter mixture and cut into large pieces. Place the butter pieces under the skin of the entire turkey. Rub the remaining butter pieces on the outside of the skin and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the inside of turkey cavity with remaining onions, fresh herb poultry blend, and lemon slices. (Truss if necessary.) Insert the pop-up thermometer at an angle about 3-inches down from the neck cavity and 2-inches from the breast bone, in the thickest part of the breast.
- Place turkey on the bed of vegetables in roasting pan. Place in the oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees F. Roast for 1 hour, then baste with pan juices every 20 minutes until thermometer pops up or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 180 degrees F, about 3 hours.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 829 |
| Total Fat | 38 g |
| Saturated Fat | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 102 g |
| Cholesterol | 357 mg |
| Sodium | 1229 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 829 |
| Total Fat | 38 g |
| Saturated Fat | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 102 g |
| Cholesterol | 357 mg |
| Sodium | 1229 mg |
Reviews
I have been making this recipe since 2009. I believe I put a review on this recipe back then. Just wanted to say I still make my turkey this way and it STILL comes out amazing. It sounds more difficult than it is but try it and all will love it.
Ive made iterations of this recipe, but I still do have one question. Do you use unsalted butter and then salt the turkey. Or do you use salted butter and still salt the turkey. Just wondering what would be a better method.
So far getting it ready was so easy and really doesn’t take a lot of time. Will get back after our dinner tonight. So far so good
I have been making this turkey recipe for over 5 years. My family loves it! There is so much flavor! And the recipe is easy to follow.
I made this recipe with a 12 lb. bird. I took it to a friends house for an after Thanksgiving Day dinner with about 25 people. Another person had cooked a 24 lb bird, needless to say, mine was picked clean and everyone complimented me so much I felt bad for the gal that cooked the larger bird. It was the best turkey I have ever had too. I will definitely be making this again for my family……thank you so much!
I’m rating this because mine this year was very similar but I chopped up fresh herbs to make the herb butter, slathered it on the turkey and also under the skin. It was oh so good, but I’m looking forward to using this recipe next year, it sounds so fabulous! My question for those who have made it several times – did the addition of all of those fresh herbs cooked in the turkey overpower the gravy? And did the garlic herb sauce mix added to the herb butter thicken the gravy without having to use more flour to finish it off? Still working on getting the perfect gravy!
Super easy to make! Has anyone used a turkey bag for this recipe instead of basting?
I have used this recipe for more than 5 years and all my turkeys are wonderful! Moist on the inside and so well flavored. I do not baste but I do put foil over the bird towards the end.
Nancy L. My family looks forward to this recipe every year
Looks perfect I’m going to try your ways of cooking the birds.