Mom's Perfect Roast Turkey

Bring the warmth of nostalgic family gatherings to your table with Mom’s Perfect Roast Turkey, a truly timeless centerpiece for your holiday feast. This recipe combines a beautifully golden, crisp skin with tender, juicy meat, thanks to a flavorful herb butter featuring fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage. Stuffed with aromatic lemon, garlic, and onion, and roasted to perfection with a hint of chicken broth to keep it moist, this turkey is as comforting as it is impressive. Basting every 30 minutes ensures every bite is bursting with flavor, while a final resting period locks in the juices for flawless carving. Perfect for Thanksgiving or any special occasion, this crowd-pleasing turkey is guaranteed to become a cherished family tradition.

Nutriscore Rating: 54/100

Prep Time:30 mins

Cook Time:180 mins

Total Time:210 mins

Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 1 piece whole turkey (10-12 pounds)
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 piece lemon, halved
• 1 piece yellow onion, quartered
• 4 pieces garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chicken broth

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).

Step 2

Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity and rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Step 3

In a small bowl, mix together softened butter, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, and black pepper to create the herb butter.

Step 4

Carefully loosen the skin of the turkey breast by sliding your fingers underneath it, being careful not to tear it. Spread half of the herb butter evenly under the skin and the other half over the top of the turkey, making sure to cover the legs and wings as well.

Step 5

Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the halved lemon, quartered onion, and smashed garlic cloves.

Step 6

Tie the turkey legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.

Step 7

Place the turkey on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the turkey for extra browning.

Step 8

Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan to keep the turkey moist while cooking.

Step 9

Roast the turkey in the preheated oven for about 3 hours, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C). Baste the turkey every 30 minutes with the pan juices to keep it moist and flavorful.

Step 10

If the turkey begins to brown too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil.

Step 11

Once the turkey has finished cooking, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 20-30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.

Step 12

Carve the turkey and serve with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy a perfectly roasted turkey, just like Mom made!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(5532.0g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	13996.6

Total Fat 892.6g	0%
Saturated Fat 317.9g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.7g
Cholesterol 4548.7mg	0%
Sodium 32911.7mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 24.6g	0%
Dietary Fiber 5.7g	0%
Total Sugars 9.1g
Protein 1355.2g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 1116.6mg	0%
Iron 51.6mg	0%
Potassium 19998.9mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 59.3%

Protein: 40.0%

Carbs: 0.7%