American
Herb-Butter Roast Turkey
A dry-brined whole turkey roasts unstuffed with sage-thyme butter under the breast skin, producing deeply browned skin, seasoned meat, and clean drippings for gravy.
12 servings · 35 minutes prep · 210 minutes cook
Ingredients
Turkey and Dry Brine
- 1 natural, unenhanced whole turkey with no added salt solution, 12 to 14 pounds, not kosher or self-basting; fully thawed; neck and giblets removed; do not rinse
- 3 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Herb Butter and Pan
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 2 celery ribs, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 cup water, plus more as needed
Directions
Dry-Brine One Day Ahead
- Pat the turkey dry. Use this dry brine only for a natural, unenhanced bird with no added salt solution; for a kosher, self-basting, injected, or otherwise pre-salted turkey, omit this brine and follow the package seasoning guidance. Mix the kosher salt and brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over the skin, beneath the breast skin where accessible, and inside the cavity.
- Set the turkey breast side up on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 24 to 36 hours. Keep it below ready-to-eat foods; reserve the clean roasting pan for roasting day.
Season and Start Roasting
- Remove the turkey from refrigeration 45 minutes before roasting and transfer it temporarily to a clean tray. Discard the purge from the rimmed sheet; wash, sanitize, and dry the rack, then set it in the clean roasting pan. Heat the oven to 325°F / 165°C. Stir the unsalted butter, sage, thyme, garlic, and black pepper.
- Loosen the breast skin without tearing and spread two-thirds of the herb butter beneath it. Rub the remainder thinly over the exterior. Place the onion and celery loosely in the cavity; tie the legs loosely. Add the water to the pan.
Roast by Temperature
- Roast breast side up, rotating the pan after 90 minutes. Add small splashes of water if the drippings threaten to burn. Tent only the breast with foil once the skin is sufficiently brown.
- Begin checking at 2 hours 45 minutes. Continue roasting until the thickest breast, innermost thigh, and innermost wing each register at least 165°F / 74°C; a 12-to-14-pound unstuffed bird generally takes 3 to 3 3/4 hours. Avoid touching bone with the probe.
Rest and Carve
- Transfer the turkey to a clean carving board, tent loosely, and rest for 45 minutes. Strain and reserve the pan drippings for gravy. Remove twine and cavity vegetables, then carve with clean utensils.
