This is the Best Herb Butter Turkey. It has classic flavors like sage and thyme, along with a generous amount of sea salt and lemon zest. The lemon herb compound butter is rubbed over and under the turkey skin and roast on a bed of carrots, onions, and celery for an incredibly flavorful and moist turkey dinner.
Thanksgiving will be here before you know it, and if you’re anything like me, you are already getting your holiday menu prepared! I love the classic dishes that come with Thanksgiving. And in our house, Roast Turkey with Garlic and Herb Compound Butter is one of the best parts of the meal.
Cooking a juicy, flavorful turkey is the highlight of many holiday meals. While there are many ways to prepare your bird, one of the best tricks is putting aromatic ingredients under the skin. Sliding butter, herbs, citrus and more under the skin allows them to infuse the meat with moisture and taste.
Why Put Ingredients Under the Skin?
Placing items under the skin rather than just on the surface or in the cavity has several advantages
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The skin holds the ingredients snugly against the breast and thighs as it roasts This helps transfer flavors directly into the meat
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Butter, oil and other fats melt slowly over the meat, basting it from the inside out. This keeps the turkey incredibly moist and tender.
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The skin forms a protective barrier, sealing in the moisture and flavor.
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Skinless turkeys can dry out easily. Keeping the skin on during cooking helps retain natural juices.
Herb Butter
Herb butter is a popular choice for under the skin. Combining butter with herbs, citrus, garlic, shallots and spices gives you a flavorful compound butter.
When making herb butter:
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Use room temperature, softened butter. This allows it to spread evenly under the skin.
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Finely chop herbs, garlic, shallots before mixing in. The smaller the pieces, the more surface area to release flavor.
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Season generously with salt, pepper and any other spices.
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Add in citrus zest or juices. Lemon, lime and orange all pair wonderfully with herbs.
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Make the butter a day ahead if possible. This allows time for the flavors to meld.
Popular herb butter combinations include:
- Thyme, sage, rosemary
- Tarragon, parsley, chives
- Basil, oregano, garlic
- Cilantro, lime zest, cumin
Spread the herb butter evenly under the skin before roasting. As the turkey cooks, the butter bastes the meat from the inside for ultra moist and seasoned flavor.
Citrus and Spices
Wedges of lemon, lime, orange or other citrus can be placed under the skin along with herb butter. The citrus releases its bright, fresh flavor into the turkey as it roasts.
Spices like garlic, shallots, ginger, peppercorns, allspice and more can be mixed into the butter or placed whole under the skin. Their flavors impart into the turkey for a flavorful meal.
Aromatic Vegetables
Placing aromatic vegetables inside the turkey or under the skin boosts moisture and taste. Common choices are:
- Onion
- Celery
- Carrot
- Fennel
- Apple
- Orange
- Lemon
Chop the vegetables and herbs into large chunks before stuffing them under the skin. Or simply tuck whole cloves of garlic or shallots under there.
During roasting the aromatics release their moisture and flavor into the meat. Feel free to stuff them into the neck and body cavities too.
Compound Butters
Herb butter is just one type of flavored, or compound, butter that can go under the skin. Other options include:
- Honey butter
- Maple butter
- Chili butter
- Lemon-parsley butter
- Cinnamon butter
- Orange or cranberry butter
Whichever you choose, compound butters add taste and moisture to the turkey as it roasts. They often use ingredients you already have on hand.
Oils and Fats
Butter and oils like olive, avocado, walnut and more bring their own flavors and richness. Duck or bacon fat also adds savory depth.
Use fats alone or combine them with citrus, herbs and spices for even more flavor. Melted butter makes a fantastic baste halfway through cooking too. Basting further crisps and browns the skin.
How to Get Ingredients Under the Skin
Getting items under the skin is simple with these tips:
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Carefully loosen the skin from the breast using your fingers. Do this starting from the cavity opening and gently separating it towards the edge of the breast.
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Rub the flavored butter or other ingredients evenly under the skin. Focus on the breast, thighs and other meaty areas.
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Use around 4-8 tablespoons of butter or oil per 12-15 lb turkey. Adjust amounts for larger birds.
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Place any aromatic veggies, citrus slices or herbs under skin as well.
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Be careful not to tear the skin. Keep it intact to hold in moisture during roasting.
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Season the outside of the skin liberally with salt and pepper too.
Tips for Maximum Flavor
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Do steps like loosening skin right before cooking. If preparing in advance, refrigerate to keep ingredients cold.
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For safety, cook stuffing separately from the turkey.
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Tie legs together to help hold the shape during cooking.
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Use a meat thermometer to monitor doneness. Cook to 160°F in the breast, 175°F in thighs.
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Let the turkey rest 20-30 minutes before carving so juices can absorb back into the meat.
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Save the pan drippings to make delicious gravy.
Putting fresh herbs, citrus, butter and other flavorful items under the skin is an easy way to add moisture and taste. Pick your favorite ingredients and enjoy compliments on your juicy, seasoned holiday bird.
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Herb Compound Butter Turkey
While there are lots of different ways to cook a turkey, using a garlic and herb compound butter for turkey roasting is such a great way to impart flavor and moisture into a turkey bird, without special equipment or timely processes. You simply have to prepare the compound butter (which you can do a day or two ahead of time), and then before you go to cook your turkey, generously coat it with the butter mixture. This helps give a nicely flavored skin from all the herbs, salt, and butter, AND it keeps it all super moist.
I do not like to stuff the inside of my turkey with bread stuffing because it can make it more difficult to tell if things are cooking evenly. Instead, I stuff it and surround it with carrots, onions, celery, lemon halves, and additional fresh herbs. I don’t overstuff, so there’s still lots of room for air to circulate. But by doing this, you are not only flavoring the bird itself, but also setting yourself up for a delicious and ridiculously easy gravy.
All the turkey drippings are loaded with flavor to use to make a delicious pan dripping gravy. It uses a simple roux from the turkey fat and butter drippings and then is thinned out from the leftover juices. It’s the perfect complement to this turkey!
Along with the flavored butter, I like to rest the turkey on carrots and celery stalks and stuff it with more of the herbs, celery and onions, and lemons inside of the turkey to infuse it with flavor.
Ingredients for Garlic and Herb Compound Butter
- butter (2 sticks)
- fresh garlic
- fresh sage
- fresh thyme
- fresh rosemary
- olive oil
- salt
- fresh ground black pepper
Stuffing the herb butter under the skin.
FAQ
What should I put under the skin of a turkey?
Impart rich flavor and add moisture to your Thanksgiving turkey by adding a layer of butter under the skin before roasting.
Is it worth putting butter under turkey skin?
Should I put butter under the skin of my turkey? Yes. Putting butter under the skin helps add moisture and flavor to the meat.
What is the trick to crispy skin on turkey?
That trick is a sprinkling of baking powder, and it’ll get you the crispiest, crackliest bites of fatty, salty skin imaginable, whether you’re cooking just …
What does putting an onion in the cavity of a turkey do?
the onion goes on the bottom so the meat doesn’t touch the bottom of the pot and scorch. we used to do this before there were turkey fryers and baskets /stands. (30 years ago). weused coat hangers wrapped around the legs to lower and raise the bird. maybe there is some flavore enhancement with the onion.