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Juicy Roast Turkey

Juicy roast turkey gets its flavor from a long uncovered chill and butter mixed with fresh thyme and sage tucked under the skin. Roasting at 325°F and checking for 165°F helps deliver tender meat with golden, herb-buttered skin.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Chilling and resting 1 day 12 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 1 day 16 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 turkey 12- to 14-pound, whole, fully thawed, neck and giblets removed
  • 3 tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
  • 1 yellow onion medium, quartered
  • 1 lemon quartered
  • 1 garlic head, halved crosswise

Equipment

  • 1 16-inch roasting pan

Method
 

  1. Pat the turkey dry and season the cavity and all over the skin with the salt and pepper.
  2. Set it breast-side up on a rack in a 16-inch roasting pan and refrigerate uncovered for 24 to 36 hours.
  3. Take the turkey out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting.
  4. Heat the oven to 325°F.
  5. Mix the butter, thyme, and sage.
  6. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and thighs and spread the herb butter under the skin and over the outside.
  7. Put the onion, lemon, and garlic in the cavity, then set the turkey breast-side up on the rack.
  8. Roast for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, beginning to check after 2 1/2 hours, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh, without touching bone, reads 165°F.
  9. Transfer the turkey to a carving board, loosely tent it with foil, and rest for 30 to 45 minutes before carving.

Notes

For reliable doneness, check both the thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh without touching bone. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days or freeze them; for a dairy-free option, use a plant-based butter in place of the unsalted butter.