Herb-Embossed Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Roasted Turkey
A delicious, moist, succulent and savory herb-infused turkey for your next holiday gathering!
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 30 mins
- Yield: 16 1x
- Category: Poultry
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 stick of butter (4 ounces), softened at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons thyme, picked from stems and finely minced (about 3 sprigs)
- 1 teaspoon rosemary, picked from stem and finely minced
- 1 tablespoon sage, picked from stems and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley, picked from stems and roughly chopped (about 8 sprigs)
- 3 Granny Smith apples, cored and quartered or cut into sixths
- 2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered
- 3 stalks celery, trimmed and cut into 4-inch lengths
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 whole turkey (I used a 22 1/2 pound turkey for this recipe)
- Kitchen twine
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees, removing all but bottom rack.
- Add softened butter to a mixing bowl and add herbs.
- Mix well with a spatula or spoon to make a compound butter and set aside.
- Place defrosted turkey in a clean sink.
- Remove exterior wrapping from turkey.
- Remove giblets and turkey neck from turkey cavities.
- If making giblet gravy, place neck and giblets (removed from their packaging material) in a small sauce pan, cover with water, place on stove top and bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to simmer and simmer about 30 minutes.
- If not making giblet gravy, discard giblets and neck.
- With kitchen shears, snip plastic clamp and twist until you remove it from the turkey (optional).
- Rinse turkey under cold, clear water; drain and place turkey, breast-side up, into a roasting pan (I use an oval aluminum roasting pan supported by a large baking sheet).
- Pat turkey dry with clean, dry cloth.
- Pour salt into the palm of your hand and smear inside turkey cavity.
- Stuff turkey cavity with prepared apples, onions and celery.
- Tie turkey legs together with kitchen twine.
- With your hand, carefully insert your fingers between the turkey skin and breast meat and loosen skin from meat.
- Do this carefully so that you don’t rip the skin.
- Scoop compound butter into your hand and insert between the turkey skin and breast meat, smearing around until well covered.
- Smear the rest of the compound butter left on your hands around the outside of the turkey.
- Pour canola oil in the palm of your hand and smear all over the outside of the turkey, including the legs and wings.
- Place turkey in preheated oven and roast for 2 hours.
- Open oven and loosely place a large piece of aluminum foil over turkey.
- Continue cooking turkey for 3 more hours (this is based on a 22 1/2 pound turkey; for a different size turkey, refer to roasting chart).
- Once turkey is cooked, remove foil and remove turkey from the oven.
- Using turkey lifters, remove turkey from pan and place on large cutting board.
- Cover loosely with aluminum foil and allow turkey to “rest” for 20 minutes.
- Carve turkey, transfer carved pieces to serving platter and serve immediately.
