Five-herb turkey

2

PREP TIME

25 min

Makes

10 to 12 servings

* PLUS Standing Time: 15 minutes, Roasting Time: 240 minutes
Five-herb turkey

Five-herb turkey
Photo by Andreas Trauttmansdorff

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter , at room temperature
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary , or 1 tbsp dried rosemary leaves, crumbled
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp dried tarragon
  • 1 tbsp thyme leaves
  • 2 tsp dried sage
  • 2 tsp oregano leaves
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 6 to 8 kg turkey

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, stir butter with seasonings. Refrigerate up to 3 days if making ahead. Bring to room temperature before using.
  • Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Remove neck and bag of giblets from inside of turkey; use for Brandy-Laced Gravy. Rinse turkey inside and out under cold running water. Pat dry. Place breast side down in a roasting pan. Fill neck cavity with stuffing. Don’t overpack, stuffing expands as it cooks. Bring neck skin up over back to enclose stuffing. Fasten with skewers or sew shut. Turn breast side up. Add enough stuffing to body cavity to completely fill. Don’t overpack. Fasten with skewers or sew shut.
  • Tuck wing tips under turkey. Tie legs together or tuck under skin flap. Rub one-third of herb butter over skin. Turn breast side down in pan. Rub with half of remaining butter. Cover with a tent of foil. Seal to pan edges.
  • Roast in centre of preheated oven, 2 hours. Remove foil and turn breast side up. Baste with pan juices. Dab with remaining butter mixture. Continue to roast, uncovered and basting occasionally with pan juices, until drumstick moves easily in joint and a meat thermometer inserted into thigh reads 180F (80C). This will take 2 to 3 1/4 more hours, about 20 minutes per pound (500 g).
  • If turkey is browning too quickly in one area, cover just that area with a piece of foil. Remove roasted turkey to cutting board. Cover loosely with foil. Let stand at least 15 minutes before carving.

How to carve turkey

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories
  • 767,
  • Protein
  • 70.5 g,
  • Carbohydrates
  • 36.5 g,
  • Fat
  • 36.3 g,
  • Fibre
  • 3.4 g,
  • Sodium
  • 861 mg.

Rum-Butter Rub
Instead of stirring butter with seasonings, stir 1/2 cup (125 mL) butter with 1 tbsp (15 mL) dark rum, 1 tbsp (15 mL) onion powder, 2 tsp (10 mL) each ground ginger and dried thyme leaves, 1/4 tsp (1 mL) allspice and a pinch of salt. Continue with recipe as written.

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