Description
This recipe provides a foolproof method for roasting a perfectly crispy and moist turkey. Featuring a flavorful herb and spice rub combined with a savory butter and olive oil mixture, this turkey is roasted at high heat initially for a golden brown skin, then slow roasted to tender perfection while being basted periodically to lock in moisture and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Rub
- 2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
Butter Mixture
- 1 stick melted butter
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for the initial high-heat roasting that crisps the turkey skin.
- Prepare Dry Rub: In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, minced rosemary, and chopped thyme to make a fragrant and flavorful dry rub.
- Prepare Butter Mixture: In another small bowl, mix the melted butter, olive oil, and minced garlic. This mixture will be brushed over the turkey to add richness and help with browning.
- Prepare Turkey: Place the turkey breast side up on a rack inside a roasting pan. Pour about 1 cup of water into the bottom of the roasting pan to prevent drippings from burning. Brush the butter mixture liberally over the entire turkey and inside the cavity. Massage the dry rub all over the turkey evenly. Reserve some of the butter mixture for basting during cooking.
- Initial Roasting: Roast the turkey in the preheated oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes, or until the skin turns golden brown and crispy.
- Reduce Temperature & Continue Roasting: Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue roasting the turkey while basting it with the reserved butter mixture every 30 minutes to maintain moisture and flavor.
- Monitor Temperature: After the turkey has roasted for two hours, start checking the internal temperature every 15 minutes using an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast. Remove the turkey when the thermometer reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it is fully cooked but not overdone.
- Rest the Turkey: Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes up to one hour. This resting period allows carry-over cooking to finish and lets the juices redistribute, yielding a moist bird.
Notes
- The secret to a perfectly crispy, moist roast turkey lies in roasting at high heat initially and then reducing the temperature to finish cooking, combined with basting using a butter mixture.
- Using a rack inside the roasting pan helps air circulate around the turkey for even cooking.
- Allowing the turkey to rest post-roasting is crucial for juicy meat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 of turkey (about 4 oz meat with skin)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
