Why serve a basic roasted turkey like grandma used to make when you can surprise your family and friends with a scrumptious new take on the Thanksgiving bird? Put our rosemary-lemon roasted turkey and stuffing, inspired by Diethood, on your holiday menu and revel in the voracious rave reviews!
We all love grandma’s cooking, but we bet even the most traditional members of your family (even your grandma!) will sink their teeth into this Thanksgiving turkey recipe and be delighted. Succulently moist and irresistibly delish, our roasted turkey and stuffing boasts a buttery juiciness and the delectable combination of rosemary, lemon, garlic and onion flavors that will make your Thanksgiving guests swoon.
TOP WITH: Citrus infused lemon and rosemary turkey gravy
What’s the secret to our juicy and flavorful turkey that makes it the best Thanksgiving bird ever? We slide a lavish amount of butter under the turkey skin and then generously brush the bird with olive oil infused with garlic, lemon and rosemary. After a little prep work and roasting time, your rosemary-lemon roasted turkey will be ready for the Thanksgiving table.
Use your best carving skills to impress family and friends as you lay slice after slice of juicy, succulently flavored turkey on their holiday plates. You won’t have to wait long before they thank you! Sound complicated? Let us show you that it isn’t!
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Make a flavored olive oil
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together olive oil, chopped garlic, lemon zest and minced fresh rosemary. Cook this mixture just until hot, then remove from the heat and set aside. The garlic, lemon and rosemary will continue to infuse their fabulous flavors into the oil as you prepare the turkey.
Stuff your bird
Place your turkey in a roasting pan and season the cavity with salt and pepper. Place your favorite turkey stuffing in the cavity.
Separate skin and add butter
Slide your fingers under the turkey skin to carefully separate the skin from the turkey meat. Use your fingers to slide butter pieces underneath the skin to evenly cover the breast meat. While the turkey is roasting, the butter will do its moistening magic as it melts into the meat.
Get ready to roast
To ready your turkey for roasting, tie the turkey legs together and tuck the wing tips under. Squeeze lemon juice over the entire turkey, then generously brush half of the flavored olive oil all over the turkey and season with salt and pepper.
Place onions in the bottom of the roasting pan along with 1-1/2 cups of the chicken broth. While the turkey roasts, the onions will cook in the broth and exude onion flavor into the bird.
Roast turkey to perfection
Roast the turkey for one hour at 400F then reduce the heat to 375F and continue to roast until a thermometer inserted in the turkey breast reaches 165F. Keep watch on the broth and add more if the bottom of the roasting pan starts to dry out.
Baste, baste, and baste again
When you place your turkey in the oven, set a timer so you can baste your bird with the remaining infused olive oil every 30 minutes. Depending on the cooking time of your turkey, expect to baste at least two to three times. The rosemary, lemon and garlic flavors will caramelize into the roasted turkey skin.
Let rest
Before serving, let the turkey rest: resist the urge to carve your turkey as soon as it comes out of the oven! Transfer the turkey to a serving platter and let it rest for 20 minutes to allow the delectable turkey juices to redistribute.
So succulent and juicy!
Beautiful golden brown skin
The perfect centerpiece for your holiday dinner
Just carve and serve
Dig in and enjoy!
Rosemary-lemon roasted turkey
Yield 10-12 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- Zest and juice of one large lemon
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
- 1 (15-pound) turkey, neck and giblets removed
- 1/2 cup butter, cut into slices, softened
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups of your favorite stuffing, cooked
- 1 large onion, cut into two-inch pieces
- 2 cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Set the oven rack on a low position in the oven.
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and rosemary. Cook until hot. Remove from heat and set aside while you prepare the turkey.
- Place the turkey in a roasting pan.
- Prepare the turkey by adding salt and pepper inside the large cavity.
- Add about 1-1/2 cups of stuffing inside the large cavity.
- Add the rest of the stuffing inside the smaller cavity on other end of the turkey.
- Using your fingers, separate the skin from the breast meat, starting at the top of the breast and sliding to the right and left, then working down.
- Arrange the pieces of butter under the skin and onto the meat.
- Tie the turkey legs together and tuck the wing tips under.
- Squeeze lemon juice all over the turkey.
- Brush the turkey with half of the infused herb and olive oil.
- Season the entire turkey with salt and pepper.
- Place onions in the bottom of the roasting pan, along with 1-1/2 cups of chicken broth. Optional: Add giblets if desired.
- Roast the turkey for one hour.
- Reduce heat to 375F.
- Tent foil over the turkey and continue to roast for 2 to 3-1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted into the breast reads 165F.
- While the turkey is roasting, brush turkey with remaining infused olive oil every 30 minutes.
- Add more chicken broth, one cup at a time, if the roasting pan becomes dry.
- Transfer the turkey to a serving platter and let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Carve and serve.
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