The Ultimate Herb Butter Turkey—Without the Fuss!
If you’re tired of endlessly searching for the perfect Thanksgiving turkey recipe every fall, stop scrolling—you’ve just found it! 🙌🏼
I made this Lemon Herb Butter Turkey for the first time 10+ years ago, and I’ve never looked back. It’s foolproof, extra-juicy, and super flavorful every time. (Fun fact: without this recipe, my first Thanksgiving as a host would’ve been an absolute disaster! 😅)
It all centers around the Spatchcock Turkey method, which is a total game-changer. Spatchcocking (aka butterflying) cooks the turkey faster and more evenly, ensuring juicy, flavorful meat every time.
From there, classic holiday flavors like rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon, and garlic combine in a rich herb butter that seasons the turkey inside and out. You’ll slather it over the bird and inject it into the meat for maximum flavor. The result? A perfectly golden, juicy turkey that’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
August 2024 Recipe Updates! ⇢ I first shared this recipe on PWWB in 2017, and since then, I’ve made it dozens of times, tweaking and perfecting it to ensure foolproof results. With recent adjustments like switching from a roasting pan to a wire rack for even cooking and adding more butter for extra flavor, it’s only gotten better.
Now, I’m confident this is the juiciest, most flavorful turkey you’ll ever make—and it’s ready in under 2 hours!
Of all the Thanksgiving recipes I’ve created, this herb butter turkey remains my all-time favorite. Bookmark this recipe for your holiday dinners—it’s the only Thanksgiving turkey you’ll ever need! 🙌🏼
🦃Craving a cozier Thanksgiving turkey? ⇢ I’ve got you! 🙌🏼 Try my Maple Glazed Spatchcock Turkey, which delivers the same foolproof and juicy results, but with an extra-cozy, sticky-sweet maple glaze.
Maximum Flavor, Minimal Effort
3 foolproof secrets to low-fuss, flavor-packed dinners, learned from years working in restaurants.
Spatchcocking: the Game-Changer Your Holiday Turkey Needs
Spatchcocking a turkey is my go-to miracle method for an always-perfect Thanksgiving bird! It saved my first-ever Friendsgiving 10+ years ago when my prep schedule spiraled wildly out of control. 😅 This fast, mega-flavorful spatchcock turkey put me back on track and saved the day!
Spatchcocking (aka butterflying) is a simple technique that removes the turkey’s backbone, allowing it to lie flat as it roasts. This cuts the roasting time in half and guarantees insanely juicy results. No more dried-out white meat while waiting for the dark meat to finish cooking! 🙌🏼
I walk you through every detail—with photos and videos!—in my step-by-step How to Spatchcock a Turkey Guide, but here’s a brief overview of the process…
🦃Thanksgiving Prep Tip! ⇢ Spatchcock your turkey ahead of time to take the stress out of the big day. If you’re new to spatchcocking, it’s the perfect way to practice without feeling rushed. It takes about 30 minutes, and you’ll be all set to roast on Thanksgiving.
3 additional turkey prep tips to consider…
- Size matters. I tested this recipe using a 12-16 pound turkey, which feeds about 12-16 people respectively. If you’re serving a bigger crowd, I recommend roasting 2 smaller lemon herb spatchcock turkeys instead of one giant bird—they cook more evenly, and you get double the crispy skin! 😋
- Thaw ahead of time. If your turkey is frozen, make sure to thaw it in the fridge. Plan for 24 hours of thawing for every 4 pounds of turkey, so a 12-16 pound bird will take 3-4 days to thaw.
- To brine or not to brine? Many grocery store turkeys are pre-treated with a saline solution so there’s no need to brine them—doing so can actually make the meat too salty! If you’re working with an untreated turkey (say, from a local farm), a quick dry brine is the way to go. Rub a mix of salt and brown sugar all over the bird, then let it sit uncovered in the fridge overnight. Check the Recipe Notes below for step-by-step brining details.
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Buy Now → Foolproof Herb Butter Turkey, Ready in 5 Minutes
This easy turkey seasoning brings together the timeless flavors of garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs.
I love using a mix of rosemary, sage, and thyme—often sold as a “poultry mix” at the store. Combined with butter, these herbs create a rich seasoning that melts into the turkey as it roasts, infusing the meat with incredible flavor.
While you can chop the aromatics and mix them into a compound butter by hand, I highly recommend using a food processor. It’s quick, easy, and ensures the herb butter turns out super smooth.
🦃Thanksgiving Prep Tip! ⇢ Make the garlic herb butter ahead of time! You can prep the lemon herb butter up to 1 week in advance. On Thanksgiving morning, just pull it out of the fridge and let it soften to room temperature while you get everything else ready.
How to Roast Spatchcock Turkey to Perfection
With your turkey spatchcocked and the herb butter ready, all that’s left is to season the bird. You’ll slather the lemon herb butter all over (and inject some into the meat!), creating a seriously juicy and flavorful turkey. From there, the oven does most of the work!
👩🏻🍳Note from the test kitchen! (August 2024 recipe update) ⇢ I’ve been perfecting this roast spatchcock turkey recipe for over 10 years, re-testing it meticulously to guarantee foolproof, juicy, and flavorful results. Based on reader feedback, I’ve switched from using a roasting pan to a wire-rimmed baking sheet, which ensures faster, more even cooking.
Butter the turkey. The goal here is to cover every nook and cranny of the turkey with butter, which melts into the meat as the turkey roasts. Gently work about ⅓ of the lemon herb butter under the skin, spreading it evenly across the surface of the meat.
Inject the turkey with herb butter. I recently added this step, and it’s a total game-changer for juicy, flavorful turkey. Melt the remaining butter in the microwave, then draw it into a meat injector. By injecting the herb butter deep into the meat, you’ll season the turkey from the inside out, making every bite super juicy and packed with flavor—not just the surface!
Roast the spatchcock turkey on a large baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. I used to cook spatchcock turkey in a roasting pan, but it made the timing a bit inconsistent. Using a baking sheet allows air to circulate for a super even cook. After testing this setup 8+ times, it’s always quick and perfect! Tip! ⇢ Place veggies like carrots, onions, and celery under the rack to roast with the turkey drippings, creating for an extra-flavorful base for your gravy.
Baste and repeat. As the spatchcock turkey roasts, baste it with the pan drippings. Start basting after the initial high-heat roast, then continue every 20 minutes until the turkey is fully cooked. Tip! ⇢ To ensure even browning, rotate the baking sheet 180° each time you return the turkey to the oven.
How to Know When Your Spatchcock Turkey is Perfectly Cooked
The best way to ensure your herb butter turkey is perfectly roasted is by using a thermometer. A probe thermometer is helpful for tracking the temperature while the turkey roasts, but for accuracy, always double-check with an instant-read thermometer. Be sure to check multiple spots—across the breasts, thighs, and legs—to get a complete read on doneness.
While the USDA recommends cooking turkey to 165°F, I’ve found that removing the roast spatchcock turkey from the oven at around 150°F gives the juiciest results. The turkey continues to cook from carry-over heat as it rests, reaching the ideal final temperature without drying out.
For a more in-depth explanation, J. Kenji López-Alt offers a fantastic breakdown on judging turkey doneness in this article—but as always, cook your turkey to the temperature you feel most comfortable with.
The Big Finish: Resting, Carving and Serving Your Roast Spatchcock Turkey
Rest, rest, rest! 🧖🏻♀️🧖🏻♂️ ⇢ Resist the urge to dig in right away—your roast spatchcock turkey needs to rest for about 30 minutes before carving. This crucial resting period allows the turkey juices to settle and redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every bite is perfectly juicy and tender.
It’s all gravy, baby! 🕺🏻💃🏻 ⇢ While your roast spatchcock turkey rests, it’s the perfect time to prepare gravy. To capture all of that rich herb butter flavor, I always make my Easy Turkey Gravy From Drippings recipe. It’s super rich and creamy—the perfect finishing touch for your Thanksgiving table.
Carving a spatchcock turkey is a little different from carving a whole roasted turkey, since it’s laid flat, but it’s just as simple. Start by removing the legs, drumsticks, and wings. Then, use a sharp knife to slice the meat away from the breasts. Finally, slice the white and dark meat into serving-sized pieces for your guests.
Congrats! 👏🏼 Your gorgeous Thanksgiving centerpiece is ready! Simply serve with your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes and enjoy the moment as everyone fights for the turkey platter. 🥰
I can’t wait for you to try my Easy Herb Butter Roast Spatchcock Turkey! It’s changed my holiday season for the better and I can’t wait for you to experience this life-changing Thanksgiving bird too.
If you do give it a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
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Always-Juicy Roast Spatchcock Turkey with Lemon Herb Butter
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 10–12 1x
- Category: Main Dishes, Poultry & Turkey Recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes
- Method: Spatchcock, Butterflied, Roasted
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Say hello to the most flavorful, juicy Thanksgiving turkey you’ll ever make!
This Easy Herb Butter Roast Spatchcock Turkey combines classic holiday flavors (fresh herbs! garlic! lemon!) with the ease of spatchcocking (aka butterflying). Since it lays flat, this herb butter turkey roasts up in less than 2 hours, basting in a garlic and herb compound butter for perfectly golden results every time.
The holiday dinner centerpiece of your dreams!
August 2024 Recipe Update: Based on reader feedback, I’ve retested and slightly adjusted this recipe for even better results. You’ll notice a couple of updates: I’ve swapped the roasting pan for a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack, which promotes quicker, more even cooking. (If you don’t have a baking sheet, a shallow roasting pan is the best alternative.) I’ve also added a step to inject butter directly into the turkey meat to ensure it stays juicy and flavorful throughout. Happy cooking!
Ingredients
- lemon herb butter (below)
- one 12–14 pound turkey, spatchcocked (see Recipe Notes)
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 3 carrots, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 yellow onions, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
for the lemon garlic herb butter:
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) very soft unsalted butter
- 1 ounce hardy fresh herbs (approx. 3 sprigs rosemary, 20 sage leaves, 20 sprigs thyme; see Recipe Notes)
- 10 cloves garlic
- 2 lemons, zested
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Prep: About 1 hour before roasting, remove the turkey from the refrigerator. If needed, remove from the packaging and spatchcock—for more guidance, check out my step-by-step How to Spatchcock a Turkey guide. Set aside to warm slightly at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, ensuring a rack is in the center position.
- Prepare the lemon garlic herb butter: Remove the fresh herbs from the stems and place the leaves in a food processor with the garlic and lemon zest. Pulse to roughly chop, then let the food processor run for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is very finely chopped. Add the butter to the food processor. Season with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Pulse to combine well. Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl and set aside.
- Butter the turkey meat: First, separate the turkey skin from the meat: carefully work your hand under the skin and sweep side to side to separate the skin from the meat—for the breasts, lift the skin from the bottom of the breasts near the groin and work your way up; for the legs, lift the skin on the outside of the thigh and work your way to the drumstick. Be careful not to tear the skin. Next, spread ⅓ of the herb butter between the skin and meat: Grab some of the herb butter with your hand, then use the same motions to work the butter between the skin and meat.
- Inject the turkey with the remaining butter: Melt the remaining butter in the microwave. Working in batches, draw the butter into a meat injector and inject the butter directly into the breasts and legs. For best results, pierce through the skin as few times as possible, but rotate and shift the needle as you inject to ensure the meat is seasoned thoroughly. See blog post above, for more guidance.
- Prepare for roasting: Arrange the celery, carrots, and onions on a rimmed full baking sheet. (For an extra-flavorful gravy, place the turkey neck and spine on the baking sheet too.) Place a wire rack over top. Set the seasoned spatchcock turkey on the rack, breast side facing up. Gently tuck the wing tips behind the breasts to prevent burning. Pat the surface of the turkey dry with paper towel. Drizzle olive oil over the turkey, then season with 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
- Roast the turkey: Transfer the turkey to the oven. Roast at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes. After the first 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 400 degrees F and remove the turkey. Baste the turkey by carefully spoon or brush the drippings in the bottom of the pan all over the skin. Return to the oven, rotating the pan 180 degrees for even browning. Roast the turkey 1 hour longer, basting the turkey and rotating the pan every 20 minutes, until your desired doneness is reached (see Recipe Notes).
- Rest: Carefully transfer the roasted turkey to a cutting board. Tent with foil and set aside to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before carving. This is a great time to make homemade gravy using the roasted turkey drippings—check out my Easy Turkey Gravy From Drippings recipe.
- Carve and serve: Once the turkey is rested, carve as desired. I like to remove the legs first, slicing the thigh meat and shredding the drumstick. Remove the breasts from the bone then slice against the grain. Enjoy!
Notes
Turkey Prep Tricks:
- *REMINDER: If frozen, be sure to thaw your turkey well before the day you plan to roast it! The safest way to thaw a frozen turkey is by placing it in the coolest section of your refrigerator. As a general rule of thumb, plan for 24 hours of refrigerated thawing for every 4 pounds of turkey (e.g. a 12-14 pound turkey requires 3-4 days refrigerated thawing).
- To brine, or not to brine? After testing this recipe both with and without a brine numerous times, I don’t think brining is entirely necessary for a roasted spatchcock turkey. One of the benefits of spatchcocking turkey is the quicker roasting time, which helps keep the meat moist and juicy. Injecting the turkey meat with butter also helps ensure a flavorful result. That said, a few details to keep in mind:
- Many store-bought turkeys (from brands like Jennie-O, Butterball, Honeysuckle White, etc.) are injected with a salt solution—effectively, they’re already brined! If the package indicates that the turkey is treated with a salt solution, I don’t suggest extra brining—doing so may make your turkey too salty.
- If using a fresh or farm turkey (i.e. one not pre-treated with a salt solution), dry brining 12-24 hours before roasting is a simple step that helps ensure a juicier result. To dry brine, mix ¼ cup kosher salt and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Separate the skin from the meat as described in Step 3, above. Sprinkle the dry brine mix over the surface of the turkey (above the skin, not directly on the meat)—use just enough dry brine to lightly cover the surface of the turkey, discarding any excess dry brine. Place the seasoned turkey on a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the refrigerator. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 12-24 hours prior to roasting. To roast, proceed as described in Steps 1-6, above, omitting any extra salt on the surface of the turkey in Step 5.
Roasting time and determining doneness:
- To what temperature do you roast turkey? The food safe temperature for turkey breast is 165 degrees F. For juiciest results, I like to pull the turkey from the oven when the thickest part of the breast registers 150 degrees F and let its carry-over heat continue to cook it to doneness as it rests. This article does a great job of explaining the science behind turkey doneness and food safety.
- Roasting time varies based on the size of your turkey, the temperature of your oven, and the depth of your roasting pan. In my oven, a 12-14 pound turkey is typically ready after roasting for a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes. A larger turkey and/or deeper roasting pan require longer cook time – adjust as needed to reach desired doneness.
Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Prep Tips:
- Prep the lemon herb butter up to 1 week in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The morning of your holiday meal, pull the butter from the fridge to soften to room temperature.
- Spatchcock the turkey up to 1 day in advance. Dry brine if desired (see above), then place the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet and store in the refrigerator, uncovered, overnight. The turkey skin loses some of excess moisture, resulting in an even crispier, golden brown turkey!
Storage and Freezing:
- Storage and Reheating: Leftover turkey will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.
- Freezer Instructions: Leftover turkey is also very freezer-friendly. Transfer cooled leftover turkey to a freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and use as desired.
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This was our first time cooking a turkey, and I’m glad this is the recipe we used! It was easy to follow, and turned out great!
So glad to hear it turned out great for you, Julianne!! 🙂
How big of a sheet pan are we talking? I just picked up my 13-lb. turkey and wondering if I need to make an emergency run to get a MASSIVE sheet pan?!
Hi Hayley – You’ll want an XL sheet pan, which is halfway between a half sheet and a full sheet. This is the one I use. Alternatively, a shallow roasting pan works okay, too—just be sure to see my Notes above regarding cooking times.
Does that help?
Jess
Very helpful! Thank you for the quick reply!
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I have two questions. Do you also spread the herb butter on underside of the turkey? Also as the fresh herbs go, do you use equal amounts of each of the three herbs you suggested? Thanks, for your help.
Pat Mires
Hi Patricia, we recommend coating as much of the turkey as possible with the herb butter!! The more you’re able to butter it, the better the flavor!! And yes, we do tend to use roughly the same amount of each of the herbs 🙂 Hope this turkey turns out GREAT for you!
Everything about this was perfect except the 155 degree temp in the thigh. I have a probe thermometer and an instant-read one, both of which are accurate as I use them regularly, most recently for a prime rib at Christmas which came out perfectly. (Point being, I know this wasn’t a thermometer problem.) At 155 and with 30 minutes’ rest, the juices were not clear and much of the bird was underdone. It was easy enough to fix with a quick nuke of our portions and then putting the bird back in the oven for another 20 minutes. But next time, I will cook to 160-165 to be safe. All of that said, the flavor was FANTASTIC. That lemon-herb-garlic butter was so good; I used fresh rosemary and oregano for the herbs. I want to use it on chicken next!