Description
This Best Garlic Butter Thanksgiving Turkey recipe features a juicy, flavorful turkey infused with garlic, herbs, and butter. The turkey is generously seasoned with a blend of spices and fresh herbs, roasted to golden perfection, and basted with butter and chicken broth to keep it moist. A delicious pan gravy made from the drippings completes this classic holiday centerpiece.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey and Seasoning
- 8 to 10 pound turkey (thawed)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Aromatics
- 2 lemons (quartered)
- 2 oranges (quartered)
- 3 to 4 shallots (roughly chopped)
- 15 to 20 cloves of garlic
- Large bundle fresh thyme and rosemary
Basting and Gravy
- 1/2 cup butter (for basting)
- 1 cup chicken broth (for pan)
- 1/2 cup butter (for gravy)
- 1/2 cup flour (for gravy)
- 2 to 3 cups chicken broth (for gravy)
- Turkey drippings (from pan)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the Turkey: Pat the thawed 8 to 10 pound turkey dry with paper towels. In a bowl, mix together 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon each of smoked paprika, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, and ground black pepper to taste, creating a flavorful herb butter spread.
- Season the Turkey: Carefully loosen the skin of the turkey and spread the garlic-herb butter evenly underneath the skin as well as all over the outside of the bird to maximize flavor. Stuff the turkey cavity with quartered lemons, quartered oranges, roughly chopped shallots, whole garlic cloves, and a large bundle of fresh thyme and rosemary to infuse aromatic notes during roasting.
- Roast the Turkey: Preheat the oven and place the turkey in a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup chicken broth into the pan to add moisture while roasting. Roast the turkey for approximately 3 hours (180 minutes), basting occasionally with 1/2 cup melted butter to keep the bird moist and golden brown on the outside.
- Make the Pan Gravy: Once the turkey is fully cooked and removed from the roasting pan, pour the pan drippings into a saucepan. Melt 1/2 cup butter in the saucepan and whisk in 1/2 cup flour to form a roux. Gradually add 2 to 3 cups chicken broth while whisking continuously until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Rest and Serve: Let the turkey rest for at least 15-20 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute. Serve slices of turkey with the homemade garlic butter pan gravy for a flavorful and moist Thanksgiving centerpiece.
Notes
- This recipe works well with larger turkeys; simply increase the quantities of the butter spread and stuffing accordingly (about 1 1/2 times for larger birds).
- The combination of loads of butter, garlic, and aromatic herbs ensures an incredibly moist, flavorful turkey that’s perfect for Thanksgiving or any special occasion.
- Resting the turkey after roasting is crucial for juicy slices.
- Basting during roasting helps achieve a crispy, golden skin while keeping the meat tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 6 oz cooked turkey)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
