How to Make the Perfect Garlic Herb Butter for Turkey

Turkey is a staple for many holiday meals. A juicy, flavorful turkey is definitely something to look forward to! While there are many ways to prepare a tasty turkey, one of the easiest ways is with a simple garlic herb butter. Rubbing a garlic-herb butter mixture under the skin and all over the turkey helps ensure moist, flavorful meat with crispy browned skin.

Read on to learn all about how to make the perfect garlic herb butter to take your turkey from bland to beautiful this holiday season.

Why Use Herb Butter on Turkey?

Using an herb butter mixture under the turkey skin serves multiple purposes

• It helps keep the breast meat moist and juicy while baking The fat from the butter bastes the turkey from the inside out

• It adds tons of flavor to the meat. Garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper infuse into the turkey as it cooks.

• It helps create crispy, browned skin. The fat content from the butter helps the skin brown and crisp up nicely.

• It’s easy. Butter, garlic, herbs…that’s all you need!

Herb butter is a simple way to guarantee a juicy, flavorful turkey every time.

How to Make Garlic Herb Butter for Turkey

Making your own garlic herb butter takes just a few minutes and only requires a handful of ingredients:

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (8 tbsp) softened, unsalted butter
• 2-4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage work well)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Equipment:

• Mixing bowl
• Fork or whisk

Instructions:

1. Soften 1 stick of butter to room temperature. Cut into chunks to speed up softening if needed.

2. Mince 2-4 garlic cloves. The garlic flavor will mellow during roasting so don’t be afraid to add more.

3. Chop about 2 tbsp of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage.

4. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped herbs, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

5. Use a fork or whisk to blend everything together thoroughly.

That’s all there is to it! Store covered in the fridge up to 4 days until ready to use.

How Much Garlic Herb Butter for Turkey?

For a 12-15 lb turkey, you’ll want 2-3 batches (2-3 sticks) of the garlic herb butter recipe. This will give you enough to spread generously under the skin and rub some on the exterior.

Figure around 1 tbsp per pound of turkey weight, adding a little extra as desired.

Tips for Preparing Turkey with Garlic Herb Butter

Once you’ve made the garlic herb butter, follow these tips for using it on the turkey:

• Let the turkey come to room temperature before loosening the skin.

• Gently loosen the skin from the breast and thighs with your fingers.

• Spread butter evenly under the skin, coating the breast and thigh meat.

• Rub any remaining butter all over the exterior of the turkey.

• Truss the legs together to hold in the butter.

• Roast, grill, or cook the turkey as desired. The herb butter keeps it moist and flavorful.

Additional Flavor Combinations

Feel free to get creative with herb butter possibilities! Here are some flavor combos to try:

• Lemon garlic herb butter – Add lemon zest

• Chipotle lime herb butter – Add minced chipotle and lime zest

• Orange thyme herb butter – Add orange zest and thyme

• Rosemary maple herb butter – Add maple syrup and rosemary

• Sundried tomato basil herb butter – Add sundried tomatoes and basil

• Jalapeño cilantro herb butter – Add minced jalapeño and cilantro

The options are endless for infusing herb butter with flavors! Garlic pairs well with almost anything.

Storing Leftover Garlic Herb Butter

Cover and refrigerate leftover herb butter up to 1 week. To freeze for longer storage:

• Place in butter compartment of fridge 1 month

• Spoon into ice cube trays, freeze, and store cubes in bags up to 3 months

• Shape logs on parchment, wrap well, and freeze up to 6 months

Frozen herb butter cubes are so handy to have on hand. Just pop one out when a recipe calls for a small amount of butter.

For Best Results

Using a simple garlic herb butter is an easy way to take your holiday turkey from dry and bland to moist, flavorful perfection. With just a few ingredients, you can infuse big flavor into the turkey and help achieve crispy browned skin. Give this easy garlic herb butter a try for your next turkey – your family will be asking for it every year!