Home / Recipes / Herb & Citrus Roasted Turkey
Herb & Citrus Roasted Turkey
Citrus in the cavity keeps the bird moist from the inside while the herb butter does the work on the outside — this is our go-to method for a turkey that carves cleanly and still tastes like something worth the wait.
Method
Make the herb butter
Mix the softened butter with rosemary, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Season the turkey
Pat the turkey dry. Loosen the skin over the breast and rub two-thirds of the herb butter directly underneath, then rub the rest over the outside skin.
Stuff and set up
Fill the cavity with the orange, lemon, and onion quarters. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and pour the broth into the bottom of the pan.
Roast
Roast at 325°F (165°C) for about 3 hours, basting every 45 minutes, until a thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh. Tent with foil if the skin browns too quickly.
Rest and carve
Rest for 25–30 minutes, tented loosely with foil, before carving.
Kitchen notes
Resting is not optional — cutting in too soon lets all the juice run out onto the board instead of staying in the meat. The pan drippings make an excellent base for gravy.
More from this season
Palisade Peach & Burrata Salad
Colorado's Western Slope peaches, torn burrata, and basil with a honey-balsamic drizzle — the salad that marks peach season on the mountain side of the state.
Pueblo Green Chile Pork Stew
Tender braised pork and roasted Pueblo green chiles in a savory broth thick enough to eat with a fork — Colorado comfort food for the first cold snap.
Butternut Squash & Sage Risotto
Creamy arborio rice folded with roasted butternut squash and brown butter sage — a cozy, stir-it-yourself dinner for the first snow of the season.