Lunch / Dinner
Herb-Butter Roasted Turkey
Thanksgiving is all about the food, and tradition plays a huge role in the menu. This year, all of your favorite ingredients are here, freshened up a bit to add a new layer of flavor to paint your holiday palate.
Ingredients
FOR THE TURKEY, LINE ROASTING PAN WITH:
PREPARE:
FOR THE HERB BUTTER, PROCESS:
GARNISH:
If your turkey is frozen, allow at least three days for it to thaw in the fridge. Check the turkey as it roasts to make sure that the breast isn’t overbrowning before 2 hours.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° with oven rack in lowest position.
For the turkey, line roasting pan with half the celery, carrots, and onion; add broth. Place a roasting rack on top of vegetables; set aside.
Prepare turkey, removing giblets and neck. Reserve neck for stock and discard giblets. Trim any excess skin and fat from turkey, then rinse entire bird (inside and out) with water; dry with paper towels.
Slide your hand between the skin and breast meat at the neck to loosen the skin. Tuck wing tips under the turkey’s body to secure.
Season turkey cavity with salt, then stuff with lemon and remaining vegetables.
For the herb butter, process softened butter, thyme, sage, rosemary, and salt in a mini food processor. Insert herb butter under skin and over entire breast.
Transfer turkey to roasting rack and tie legs with kitchen string. Brush turkey with melted butter, season with salt, and roast 2 hours.
Remove turkey from oven, baste with pan juices, cover breast with foil, and return to oven.
Roast turkey, basting every 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 170°. Remove turkey from oven, transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 30 minutes.
Strain pan drippings into a large glass measuring cup; reserve for gravy.
Garnish turkey with fresh herbs, grapes, and lemon wedges.
Adding broth to the vegetables keeps the turkey moist and adds flavor to the juices for the gravy.
Use a spoon to insert herb butter under the skin, then "massage" it around so it covers the breast.
Baste turkey with drippings from the bottom of the pan to keep the skin moist and help it brown.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per 6 oz.
Calories: 268
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 13%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 118mg 39%
Sodium 106mg 4%
Carbs 0g 0%
Fiber 0g 0%
Protein 44g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.