Thanksgiving Turkey
A delicious recipe for Thanksgiving turkey, stuffed with bacon and rubbed with herb butter to keep it moist and juicy. Useful tips and side dish ideas included!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 561
Ingredients
- 7 pound fresh turkey (3.2 kilos)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper , or to your liking
- 1 tablespoon salt , or to your liking
- 4-5 bacon slices
- rosemary sprigs (fresh), see note 1
- thyme sprigs (fresh)
Herb butter:
- ½ stick unsalted butter , see note 2 (55 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley (fresh), finely chopped
Optional extras:
- onions , quartered
- carrots , cut into large chunks
- brussels sprouts
- extra virgin olive oil , a drizzle
- salt , to taste
- black pepper , a generous pinch
- garlic head , top cut off
Instructions
- 1 hour before cooking, take the turkey out of the fridge and let it sit on your counter. Remove giblets from the cavity, if any. You can discard these or use them to make turkey stock.
- Place the turkey in a roasting pan or disposable foil tray, breast side up. Season the turkey and its cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff it with herbs.
- Lift the skin on the top of the turkey and slide your fingers under, slowly loosening the skin. When done, slide bacon strips under the turkey skin to keep the breasts from drying out. Then, spread some of the herb butter in as well.
- Use the rest of the herb butter to cover the surface of the turkey (use your hands or brush).
- If using vegetables, mix them with seasoning and olive oil and spread them around the turkey.
- Transfer the turkey to a preheated oven and roast at 350° Fahrenheit (175° Celsius) for about 2 hours and 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 165° Fahrenheit (74° Celsius). Make sure the turkey sits in the center of your oven.
- Let rest for 15 minutes before carving.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Use as much/as little as you like. The more fresh herbs you use, the more flavorful your turkey will be. Please do not substitute with dried herbs.
- You can use salted butter. If you do, you don’t need to add salt.
- If you want, you can spread veggies on the tray around the turkey. They should be cut into chunks, so they won’t burn or overcook completely. You could also throw them in at a later stage if you chop them small. You could also fill the cavity with veggies, but you will need to cook the bird for longer.
- Please use a food thermometer to check the turkey if not sure!
- Cooking time may vary, depending on your oven and the size of your turkey.
- If in doubt, or you need more information and tips for roasting Thanksgiving turkey, please read the full post above this recipe card.
Nutrition Facts
Thanksgiving Turkey
Amount per Serving
Calories
561
% Daily Value*
Fat
25
g
38
%
Saturated Fat
8
g
50
%
Cholesterol
279
mg
93
%
Sodium
1687
mg
73
%
Potassium
855
mg
24
%
Carbohydrates
1
g
0
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
1
g
1
%
Protein
82
g
164
%
Vitamin A
515
IU
10
%
Vitamin C
3
mg
4
%
Calcium
45
mg
5
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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