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Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 (438g) Recipe makes 10 servings
Calories 697
Calories from Fat 332		(47%)
Amount Per Serving		%DV
	Total Fat 36.9g	56%
	Saturated Fat 12.0g	60%
	Monounsaturated Fat 12.8g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 8.2g
	Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 283mg		94%
Sodium 1690mg		70%
Potassium 1167mg		33%
Total Carbohydrate 4.2g		1%
	Dietary Fiber 1.5g	5%
	Sugars 0.8g
Protein 82.3g		164%
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Roast Turkey

Recipe #77861 | 4 hours | 20 min prep | add private note

⁽⁷⁸⁾ RATE IT NOW Print Recipe

By: Alan Leonetti
Dec 3, 2003

NOTE: Even though you may have purchased a Butterball or a butter basted bird, you should still follow these directions, as they inject very little butter into the bird, just so that they can legally get away with saying that it is butter basted. Trust this recipe of mine, and I guarantee that you and your guests will have the best and juciest turkey ever! The cook time will vary, depending on the size of the bird. ALSO, SEE MY Giblet Gravy (For Roast Turkey) FOR THE BEST GIBLET GRAVY. It is very EASY! If you have any questions e-mail me: AlanLeonetti@q.com

SERVES 10 , 1 Turkey (change servings and units)

Ingredients

1 (12-20 lb) whole turkey
4 tablespoons butter
chicken broth
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder, granulated
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon sage
2 tablespoons paprika

Directions

1
Remove giblets from both cavities at both ends and set aside. Rinse the bird inside and out and pat dry with paper towel.
2
Place a rack into a large roasting pan,and then place the turkey onto the rack with the breast and legs up.
3
Mix all of the seasonings, except the paprika, together with the butter.
4
Place your hand between the skin and the flesh from the rear of the turkey and slide a palm full of butter and seasoning mixture in between the skin and flesh.
5
Then place a glob of butter into the palm of your hand and generously rub the entire turkey with the butter. Generously sprinkle the entire bird with salt, freshly ground black pepper, onion powder, granulated garlic powder, tarragon, parsley flakes, thyme, basil and paprika. Pour about 1/4" to 1/2" of chicken broth in the bottom of the roasting pan, being careful not to wash any of the seasonings off the turkey.
6
Completely tent the turkey with aluminum foil and place into a preheated 325 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the foil tent and wrap foil around the legs and wings.
7
Baste the turkey and return it to the oven for the remainder of the cooking time, which will be when the interior temperature of the bird reaches 180 degrees or until the juices run clear and not red when you puncture the bird between the thigh and the breast.
8
Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the turkey.
9
NOTE: I always cook my turkey unstuffed.
10
I place my stuffing into baking dishes to bake.
11
Also, see my recipe #105192 for the best giblet gravy ever!

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Featured Reviews for This Recipe

From: KellieBell

On Nov 20, 2009

This was a very good recipe, my mistake was I used a brine first and the skin of the turkey was so salty we couldnt eat it. i would recommend omitting the salt or at least cutting it in half if you are planning to use a brine. I also thought the flavor of the turkey would be so much stronger due to all the herbs, but over all my turkey turned out good for my first try. Thanks for posting.

0 people found this review helpful

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From: KWB

On Oct 21, 2009

This was good. But with an 11 lb. Butterball (TM) turkey, I found it too salty. Since the recipe calls for a 12-20 lb. perhaps that was my error: using the whole recipe. Next time I would cut the salt in half if using a Butterball. Normally I can only find scrawny natural turkeys where I live, so when a State Department worker had a leftover Butterball when they were re-stationed, I was the happy recipient. With this recipe I think I would use a natural turkey, brine it, then use 1/2 this recipe with 1/2 the salt.

0 people found this review helpful

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From: Chef Morganika

On Nov 22, 2005

excellent easy recipe! I've always done practially the exact same thing, with one slight difference- I always roast my turkeys BREAST DOWN. It keeps the juices in the breast, where you want them anyway. & I turn the bird over for the last 45 minutes to an hour, so that it can turn a nice golden brown. My grandmother taught me that trick, & I have to say, I have NEVER had a dry bird! thanks grandma!

49 people found this review helpful

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From: Ann Cecile

On Nov 28, 2004

I used this recipe on Thanksgiving 2004. It made me look like a seasoned chef. I cooked the turkey in a roaster and it came out very tender and tasty. I will use this again and again. I also added three additional turkey legs to the roaster because everyone always seems to want a leg at my house. I buttered and seasoned the legs as I did the bird. Then, I half covered the legs with foil and put the open side down. They turned out just as good as the bird and everyone got a leg. Thanks for the recipe! I will use this one again and again.

15 people found this review helpful

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