Mr. Food: Butter-Basted Herbed Turkey

Let’s talk about a classic way to prepare your turkey that is buttery-good! Our easy turkey recipe is the perfect way to make Thanksgiving very special and super tasty; the expertly blended spices and the extra attention we give to everyone’s favorite bird, means that the Thanksgiving flavors are sure to be gobble-it-up-good! You might want to sneak a few bites in the kitchen; once this turkey hits the table, it won’t last long.

What You’ll Need

  • 1 (12- to 15-pound) turkey
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 onion, peeled and quartered
  • 2 celery stalks, cut in quarters

What to Do

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove giblets and neck from turkey; reserve for a later use. Rinse turkey with cold water, pat dry, and place in a roasting pan breast side up.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine butter, parsley, poultry seasoning, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper; mix well. Rub half the mixture over outside of turkey. Reserve the remaining herbed butter mixture for basting. Place onion and celery in cavity of turkey. If you would like, now would be the perfect time to tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
  3. Cover turkey with foil and roast 1-1/2 hours. Remove foil and brush with remaining herbed butter. Continue to cook uncovered 1-1/2 to 2 more hours, or until thermometer reaches 180 degrees in thickest part of thigh, basting with herbed butter every 30 minutes. (Make sure you do not baste the last 30 minutes or so to prevent any cross-contamination).
  4. Remove turkey from pan and place on a cutting board to rest 15 minutes before carving.

Mr. Food Test Kitchen Tips!

  • To prevent cross-contamination, be sure not to baste the turkey with the herbed butter during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

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