Turkey

By Matt Price

Nov 25, 2024

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Holiday Turkey Recipe by Mr. Make It Happen

Introduction

This Thanksgiving turkey recipe features juicy, tender turkey parts separated for even cooking, while a fragrant lemon and herb compound butter enhances flavor. By breaking down the turkey into individual parts (such as the breast, thighs, and drumsticks), you ensure crispy skin and moist meat, with every piece infused with aromatic herbs and citrus.

It’s Turkey Day! This recipe is fool-proof and delicious! First things first, prep and organize all of your ingredients.

I like to make a bird’s nest with veggies and citrus along with herbs. Hit his combination with a little olive oil so they don’t scorch on the oven and place a wire rack on top.

You can ask your butcher to break down the Turkey for you (some of them still actually do work around here lol). Otherwise, separate the turkey into individual parts. This will help the turkey cook evenly.

Once the turkey is separated, let’s season it up. If you have the time, I recommend a 24-hour dry brine with just salt.

If you don’t have the time, just apply a healthy coating of salt and whatever other seasonings you enjoy. For me, I am going with lemon bae and AP.

Place your seasoned bird on the bird’s nest and get it ready for a 400-degree oven.

If you want to control the color of the skin, you can cover the roasting pan in foil for the first 30 minutes or so.

Roast the turkey for about 1 hour, checking occasionally. If the turkey starts to brown too quickly, tent it with foil and continue roasting.

After 1 hour, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue roasting the turkey, basting occasionally with the pan juices, until the internal temperature reaches:

• 165°F (74°C) for the breast (approximately 1.5 to 2 hours)
• 170°F (77°C) for the thighs and drumsticks (approximately 2 to 2.5 hours)

If using a meat thermometer, check the thickest part of the breast and the thighs to ensure proper doneness.

About 3/4 of the way through the cooking process, based the turkey in our compound butter and place the roasting pan back in the oven uncovered.

For the gravy, steal some of the pan drippings and use that as your “broth” for the gravy. Melt some butter, add all-purpose flour, and then deglaze with the pan drippings.

Season the gravy to taste and enjoy!

Rest and Carve:

• Once the turkey parts are cooked through and golden brown, remove them from the oven and let them rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute and keeps the meat moist.
• Carve each piece of the turkey, or serve it whole, depending on your preference. Arrange the roasted turkey parts on a platter and garnish with additional fresh herbs and lemon slices.

Serving Suggestions:

• Serve the turkey with your favorite sides, like mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and stuffing.
• Pour the pan juices into a gravy boat to serve alongside for extra flavor.

This method ensures that each part of the turkey is perfectly cooked and imbued with rich, herbaceous flavor from the compound butter. The skin crisps up beautifully, and the meat stays tender and juicy, making for a memorable Thanksgiving meal. Enjoy!

Print & Download Turkey Recipe

Holiday Turkey

This Thanksgiving turkey recipe features juicy, tender turkey parts separated for even cooking, while a fragrant lemon and herb compound butter enhances flavor. By breaking down the turkey into individual parts (such as the breast, thighs, and drumsticks), you ensure crispy skin and moist meat, with every piece infused with aromatic herbs and citrus.

Ingredients 

For the Turkey:

• 1 whole turkey, 12-14 lbs
• AP and Lemon Bae Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• For the Herb-Lemon Compound Butter:
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• AP seasoning to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Roasting:

• 1 large onion, quartered
• 2 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
• 1 large carrot, cut into large chunks
• 1 lemon, halved and 1 orange
• 3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

Instructions 

• First things first, prep and organize all of your ingredients.

Making Bird’s Nest:

• I like to make a birds nest with the veggies and citrus along with the herbs.
• Hit his combination with a little olive oil so they don’t scorch on the oven and place a wire rack on top.

Turkey Breakdown:

• You can ask your butcher to break down the Turkey for you. Otherwise, separate the turkey into individual parts. This will help the turkey cook evenly.
• Once the turkey is separated, let’s season it up. If you have the time, I recommend a 24 hour dry brine with just salt.
• If you don’t have the time, just apply a healthy coating of salt and whatever other seasonings you enjoy. For me, I am going with lemon bae and AP.

Bird’s Nest:

• Place your seasoned bird on the birds nest and get it ready for a 400 degree oven.
• If you want to control the color of the skin, you can cover the roasting pan in foil for the first 30 minutes or so.

Roasting Turkey:

• Roast the turkey for about 1 hour, checking occasionally.
• If the turkey starts to brown too quickly, tent it with foil and continue roasting.
• After 1 hour, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue roasting the turkey, basting occasionally with the pan juices, until the internal temperature reaches:
• * 165°F (74°C) for the breast (approximately 1.5 to 2 hours)
• * 170°F (77°C) for the thighs and drumsticks (approximately 2 to 2.5 hours)
• If using a meat thermometer, check the thickest part of the breast and the thighs to ensure proper doneness.
• About 3/4 of the way through the cooking process, based the turkey in our compound butter and place the roasting pan back in the oven uncovered.

Making the Gravy:

• For the gravy, steal some of the pan drippings and use that as your “broth” for the gravy.
• Melt some butter, add all purpose flour, and then deglaze with the pan drippings.
• Season the gravy to taste and enjoy!

Rest and Carve:

• Once the turkey parts are cooked through and golden brown, remove them from the oven and let them rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute and keeps the meat moist.
• Carve each piece of the turkey, or serve it whole, depending on your preference.
• Arrange the roasted turkey parts on a platter and garnish with additional fresh herbs and lemon slices.

Notes

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

Serving Suggestions:

• Serve the turkey with your favorite sides, like mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and stuffing.
• Pour the pan juices into a gravy boat to serve alongside for extra flavor.

This method ensures that each part of the turkey is perfectly cooked and imbued with rich, herbaceous flavor from the compound butter. The skin crisps up beautifully, and the meat stays tender and juicy, making for a memorable Thanksgiving meal. Enjoy!