Roasted Turkey with Herbs and Lemon

This is my favorite way to roast turkey. Simple ingredients like garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs create a flavorful turkey and gravy. Enjoy!

** This recipe is based on an almost 13 pound turkey. Modify the ingredients based on the size of your turkey.

Roasted Turkey with Herbs and Lemon

Ingredients

1 12.75 lb turkey
1 head garlic, remove outer papery layers, cut in half crosswise
1 medium onion, quartered
1 lemon, cut in half
4-6 sprigs each of thyme, sage, parsley, rosemary or any variation of about 16-24 sprigs of these fresh herbs
2 ribs celery
3 Tbsp butter, melted
salt
pepper

Instructions
1. Remove giblets and neck from inside of turkey. Set aside the neck in refrigerator for homemade stock. I discard the giblets.

2. Rinse inside and out of turkey with water. Pat dry.

3. Sprinkle the inside of turkey with salt and pepper. Stuff the turkey with the garlic, onion, lemon, fresh herbs, celery.

4. Place turkey on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Tuck the wings and tie the legs together.

5. Brush the outside of turkey with the melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

6. Roast at 325 degrees. Roast 2 1/2 hours or “when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.” That recommendation is from the USDA.

My turkey had a pop-up thermometer in it to let me know when it was done, but it is recommended that you check the temperature even if your turkey has a thermometer.

7. Cover turkey with foil and before cutting into it, let it rest for at least 20 minutes. This is the most important step and a key to turkey that is not dried out. So I’ll repeat, DO NOT CUT TURKEY FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES AFTER TAKING OUT OF OVEN.

Print recipe for Roasted Turkey with Herbs and Lemon.

Don’t be afraid to make gravy, check out this easy turkey gravy recipe.