Classic Roast Turkey with Herb Butter

A golden, juicy turkey basted with garlic and herb butter and roasted until the skin is crisp.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 3 hr
Total: 3 hours 30 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
8 people
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

  • 4.5kg oven-ready turkey, removed from the fridge 1 hour before cooking
  • 250g butter, softened
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/gas mark 5 and put the oven shelf on its lowest setting.

  2. Mash the butter with the lemon zest, parsley, thyme, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt and plenty of black pepper.

  3. Gently loosen the skin over the breast with your fingers and push about two thirds of the herb butter underneath. Rub the rest all over the outside.

  4. Put the onions and lemon halves in the cavity and stand the turkey in a large roasting tin. Pour the stock into the tin.

  5. Cover loosely with foil and roast for 2 hours 15 minutes, basting every 45 minutes.

  6. Remove the foil and roast for a further 45 minutes, until the skin is golden and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced. A probe should read at least 75°C.

  7. Transfer to a board, cover with foil and rest for 40 minutes before carving. Keep the tin juices for gravy.