Oven Baked Turkey
Delight your taste buds this holiday season with our mouthwatering Oven Baked Turkey recipe, a true centerpiece for festive gatherings! This recipe combines the rich, savory flavors of a perfectly roasted 12-pound turkey with an aromatic blend of fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage, along with zesty lemon, garlic, and a buttery herb-infused glaze. As it roasts, the turkey is lovingly basted and paired with hearty vegetables—onions, carrots, and celery—in a broth-filled pan to create tender, juicy meat and golden, crispy skin. With a prep time of just 30 minutes, this oven-baked masterpiece delivers a show-stopping dish for your next family feast. Whether it's Thanksgiving or a memorable dinner party, carve up this succulent turkey and serve with its rich pan drippings for a meal everyone will savor.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 12 pounds whole turkey
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 whole lemon
- 4 whole garlic cloves
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary
- 1 bunch fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 2 whole carrots
- 2 whole celery stalks
- 4 cups chicken broth
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey's cavity, rinse the turkey under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels.
In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over low heat. Add the zest of the lemon, two crushed garlic cloves, and half of the thyme, rosemary, and sage leaves chopped finely. Stir to combine and remove from heat.
Season the inside of the turkey cavity with 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of black pepper. Stuff the cavity with the lemon, cut in half, the remaining garlic cloves sliced in half, and the remainder of the thyme, rosemary, and sage leaves.
Rub the turkey all over with olive oil and the melted herb butter mixture. Season the outside of the turkey with the remaining salt and pepper.
Place the turkey breast side up on a rack in a large roasting pan. Tuck the wing tips under the body of the bird and tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
Cut the onion, carrots, and celery stalks into large pieces and scatter them along with the neck and giblets (if preferred) around the turkey in the roasting pan.
Pour the chicken broth into the roasting pan to cover the vegetables.
Roast the turkey in the preheated oven for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the thickest part of the drumstick reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C). Baste the turkey with the pan juices every 45 minutes. If the skin becomes too dark, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
Once cooked, remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more flavorful turkey.
Carve the turkey and serve with the pan drippings and vegetables if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
8861 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 319.2 g | 409% | |
| Saturated Fat | 115.0 g | 575% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2.8 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 4058 mg | 1353% | |
| Sodium | 19827 mg | 862% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 90.7 g | 33% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 32.6 g | 116% | |
| Total Sugars | 20.6 g | ||
| Protein | 1331.5 g | 2663% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 1471 mg | 113% | |
| Iron | 82.0 mg | 456% | |
| Potassium | 15510 mg | 330% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
