If the thought of roasting a whole turkey makes you a little nervous, take a deep breath. This Juicy Herb-Butter Roast Turkey is the recipe that’s going to make you a turkey pro. We rub a bright lemon, garlic, and parsley butter right under the skin, stuff the bird with aromatics, and roast it to golden, glistening perfection.
The butter melts into the meat as it roasts, which keeps the breast juicy and gives you crisp, beautiful skin. A simple foil shield protects the breast while the dark meat finishes cooking. And the pan drippings? They’re liquid gold for making gravy.
You’ll find more show-stopping dinners in my main course recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Juicy, flavorful meat: Herb butter under the skin seasons the turkey from the inside out.
- Golden, crispy skin: A hot start at 430°F gets the skin browning right away.
- A foolproof method: The foil shield and a meat thermometer take out the guesswork.
- Feeds a crowd: A 12-pound bird serves about 12 people.
- Built-in gravy base: The buttery drippings make a delicious homemade gravy.
Ingredients Breakdown
Here’s what goes into this roast turkey. You’ll find exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Turkey: A 12-pound bird, fully thawed. Anything from 11 to 15 pounds works. Just adjust the roasting time.
- Salt and pepper: For seasoning the inside and outside of the bird.
- Unsalted butter: Two sticks, softened, for the flavored butter.
- Olive oil: Regular olive oil (not extra virgin) goes in the butter and gets drizzled on top.
- Lemon juice and zest: They brighten up the butter and the meat.
- Garlic: Pressed cloves for the butter, plus halved cloves for the cavity.
- Fresh parsley: Chopped for the butter, plus half a bunch for the cavity.
- Onion and lemon: Quartered and tucked into the cavity to perfume the meat as it roasts.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prep the turkey
Take the thawed turkey out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start, so it cooks more evenly. Remove the neck and giblets and pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Set it in a roasting pan lined with paper towels to soak up extra moisture, then remove the paper towels. Tuck the wings behind the bird so they don’t scorch.
2. Season the cavity
Season the inside of the turkey generously with about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Make the herb butter
In a medium bowl or food processor, combine the softened butter, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mash and stir with a fork until it’s fully combined. The lemon juice may fight you at first, so keep mixing for a few minutes until it’s all blended in.
4. Butter under the skin
Gently slide your fingers under the skin over the breast to loosen it, working from both the front and back and taking care not to tear it. Spread 2/3 of the butter under the skin, then massage the outside to spread it evenly.
5. Butter the outside and stuff the cavity
Pat the outside dry again if needed. Spread the rest of the butter over the breast, legs, and wings, drizzle with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Fill the cavity with the onion, halved garlic, parsley, and lemon. Tie the legs together with kitchen string.
6. Get the oven and foil ready
Preheat the oven to 430°F on the bake setting, with a rack in the lower part of the oven (second from the bottom works well). Fold a large square of foil into a triangle, brush one side lightly with oil, and mold it oil-side down over the breast. Then lift it off and set it aside. Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer under the drumstick, deep into the dark meat.
7. Roast hot, then baste
Roast the turkey uncovered at 430°F for 20 minutes. Take it out and baste it with the butter and juices from the bottom of the pan. Then lay the foil triangle over the breast.
8. Finish roasting
Turn the oven down to 350°F and roast for about 2 hours 30 minutes more for a 12-pound bird, or about 13 minutes per pound. It’s done when the thigh reads 170°F and the breast reads 160°F. The temperature will keep climbing as it rests.
9. Rest
Move the turkey to a platter, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for at least 1 hour before carving. Save the pan drippings for gravy.
Tips and Variations
- Thaw it in time: Thaw a frozen turkey in the fridge for about 1 day per 4 to 5 pounds. A 12-pound bird needs about 3 days.
- Dry the skin well: Dry skin browns and crisps much better.
- Use a food processor: It makes mixing the lemon juice into the butter so much easier.
- Trust your thermometer: Use the timing as a guide, but check doneness with a thermometer. The thickest part of the breast and the innermost parts of the thigh and wing should reach at least 165°F.
- Don’t skip the rest: That hour lets the juices settle so the meat stays moist and carves neatly.
- Change up the herbs: Add a little fresh thyme, rosemary, or sage to the butter for a more classic holiday flavor.
How to Serve This Recipe
Carve the turkey on a big platter and garnish it with fresh parsley and lemon wedges. Whisk the pan drippings into gravy and pass it at the table.
Fill out your holiday spread with all the classic sides: Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping, and a bowl of Homemade Cranberry Sauce. Don’t forget the Soft, Buttery Dinner Rolls!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I roast a 12-pound turkey?
Roast it at 430°F for 20 minutes, then at 350°F for about 2 hours 30 minutes, which works out to about 13 minutes per pound after the oven is turned down. Always check with a thermometer.
What temperature should the turkey reach?
Take it out when the thigh reads 170°F and the breast reads 160°F. It will keep rising as it rests. For food safety, check several spots. The thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh and wing should reach at least 165°F.
Why put butter under the skin?
Butter under the skin melts right into the breast meat as it roasts, keeping it juicy and full of flavor.
How long should the turkey rest?
At least 1 hour, loosely covered with foil. It makes the meat more tender and easier to carve.
How long does it take to thaw a frozen turkey?
Plan on about 1 day in the refrigerator for every 4 to 5 pounds. A 12-pound turkey needs about 3 days.
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Juicy Herb-Butter Roast Turkey
Ingredients
For the Turkey
- 12 lb turkey, (Anything from 11-15 lbs will work, but bake time will vary), thawed
- Salt & Pepper, for the inside and outside of the bird
For the Flavored Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, (2 sticks)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, not extra virgin, plus more to drizzle top
- 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon, plus 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
- 3 large garlic cloves, pressed
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt, I used sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
For the Stuffing
- 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 1 lemon, quartered
Instructions
Prepare the Turkey
- Take the thawed turkey out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before beginning. Bringing it closer to room temperature helps it cook more evenly.
- Remove the neck and giblets. Dry the turkey thoroughly with paper towels. Place it in a roasting pan lined with paper towels so any remaining moisture can be absorbed, then remove and discard the paper towels.
- Tuck the wings behind the turkey to help prevent them from scorching during roasting.
Season and Stuff the Turkey
- Season the inside of the turkey cavity generously with about 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
- Prepare the flavored butter in a medium bowl or food processor. Combine 2 sticks softened butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest, 4 Tbsp lemon juice, 3 pressed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mash and stir with a fork until thoroughly combined. The lemon juice may initially resist mixing into the butter, so continue mixing for several minutes until incorporated.
- Carefully slide your fingers underneath the skin covering the turkey breast to loosen it from the meat. Work from both the front and back, taking care not to tear the skin.
- Place 2/3 of the butter mixture beneath the loosened skin. Massage the outside of the skin to distribute the butter evenly over the breast.
- Dry the outside of the turkey again if necessary. Spread the remaining butter over the breast, legs, and wings. Drizzle olive oil over the turkey and season the exterior generously with salt and pepper.
- Fill the cavity with the quartered onion, 4 halved garlic cloves, 1/2 bunch of parsley, and quartered lemon. Tie the base and legs together with kitchen string, crossing the legs to help close the cavity.
Roast the Turkey
- Preheat the oven to 430˚F using the bake setting. Position an oven rack in the lower portion of the oven; the second level from the bottom works well.
- Prepare a foil shield for the breast. Fold a large square of aluminum foil into a triangle. Coat one side lightly with olive oil, then place it oil-side-down over the turkey breast and mold it to the shape of the breast. Remove the foil and set it aside for later.
- Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer beneath the drumstick and deep into the dark meat.
- Place the turkey in the oven uncovered and roast at 430˚F for 20 min.
- Remove the turkey briefly from the oven and baste it with the butter and juices collected at the bottom of the roasting pan. Use a baster, or carefully tilt the pan and spoon the liquid over the turkey.
- Place the prepared foil triangle over the breast.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F and continue roasting for another 2 hours 30 min for a 12 lb bird. Once the temperature has been reduced to 350˚F, allow about 13 min for every pound of turkey.
- Continue cooking until the thigh reaches 170˚F on the temperature probe and the breast reaches 160˚F. Remove the turkey from the oven. Its internal temperature will continue to rise as it rests.
Rest the Turkey
- Move the roasted turkey to a serving platter. Cover it completely but loosely with foil.
- Allow the turkey to rest for at least 1 hour before carving. The resting period allows the meat to become more tender and makes carving easier.
- Reserve the drippings in the roasting pan for making turkey gravy.
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- Turkey size: This recipe is written for a 12 lb turkey, but an 11–15 lb bird will work. Adjust the roasting time as needed based on its weight.
- Thawing: If using a frozen turkey, thaw it in the refrigerator for about 1 day for every 4–5 lbs. A 12 lb turkey will need approximately 3 days.
- Flavored butter: Make sure the butter is well softened before mixing. A food processor makes it especially easy to incorporate the lemon juice into the butter.
- Foil shield: Shape the foil over the turkey breast before roasting, then remove and set it aside. After the first 20 minutes of roasting and basting, place it back over the breast to protect it as the turkey continues to cook.
- Cooking time: Once the oven is reduced to 350°F, plan on approximately 13 minutes per pound. Use the timing as a guide and rely on a meat thermometer to check doneness.
- Temperature: For food safety, check the turkey in several places. The thickest part of the breast and the innermost portions of the thigh and wing should reach at least 165°F.
- Resting: Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 1 hour before carving.
- Save the drippings: Don’t discard the buttery juices in the roasting pan. They make a flavorful base for homemade turkey gravy.
