Holiday Recipes

Roast Turkey with Herb Butter

Name: Roast Turkey with Herb Butter
Yield: Makes about 20 servings

Makes about 20 servings

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Roast Turkey with Herb Butter

Makes about 20 servings

Classic and timeless, a staple for any Thanksgiving table.

Turkey Nutritional information per serving (based on 4 oz): Calories 179 (52% from fat) carb. 0g prot. 21g fat 10g sat. fat 3g chol. 68mg sod. 207mg calc. 0mg fiber 0g

Herb Butter Nutritional information per serving (based on 1 teaspoon): Calories 34 (99% from fat) carb. 0g pro. 0g fat 4g sat. fat 2g chol. 10mg sod. 25mg calc. 1mg fiber 0g

Ingredients

Herb butter:

2 tablespoons chives, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces and softened
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Roast turkey:

4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
4 medium celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 large onions, peeled and each cut into 12 pieces
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh sage sprigs
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 ½ cups water
1 16-pound turkey
Kosher salt, to season
Freshly ground black pepper, to season

Preparation

For the herb butter:

Insert the small work bowl and small chopping blade in a Cuisinart® food processor.
Add all of the ingredients to the work bowl. Pulse to break up butter, 5 to 6 times.
Process on High until all the ingredients are fully combined and the herbs are chopped, about 40 seconds.
Let stand at room temperature.

For the roast turkey:

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Combine the carrots, celery, onions, thyme, sage, and peppercorns in a large Cuisinart® roasting pan. Reserve a handful of the vegetable mixture for the cavity of the turkey, and then add the water to the roasting pan.
Fit the rack in the pan on top of the vegetables. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels, both outside and inside the cavity.
Rub the herb butter over the exterior of the turkey as well as in the cavity. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add the reserved vegetables to the cavity.
Place the turkey on the rack in the roasting pan. Transfer the turkey to the oven, and immediately reduce the temperature to 325°F.
Rotate the roasting pan and baste every hour while cooking. Keep an eye on the liquid in the bottom of the roasting pan, and add more should it evaporate.
Roast until the thickest part of the thigh registers 170°F with an instant-read thermometer. Begin checking the temperature at 3 ½ hours. If turkey gets too dark before it reaches the appropriate temperature, cover with foil until finished.
Pour off any drippings and place in freezer to separate out the fat while the turkey is resting. Remove and discard the solidified fat, and use the drippings to make your favorite gravy.