What You’ll Need For the Garlic Butter Turkey
- Whole Turkey– for this recipe, I used a 13-pound young turkey
- Garlic– you’re going to need a lot of garlic. I’ll be using 3 full heads of garlic and a little bit of Better Than Bouillon Roasted Garlic Base.
- Veggies– onions, carrots, potatoes, and celery are great additions to this garlic butter turkey
- Oranges– I love adding oranges to my wet brine and they also make for great decoration!
- Herbs– I’ll be using classic herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves
- Seasonings- To ensure flavor in every bite, I use a variety of seasonings like salt, pepper, whole peppercorn, onion powder, salt-free garlic & herb seasoning, and paprika.
- Brown Sugar– the brown sugar will be added in the wet brine
- Butter– I’ll be using a total of 2 cups of unsalted sweet cream butter. This is a garlic butter turkey after all!
- Others– cheesecloth, thermometer, turkey baster, and roasting pan
How to Make the Garlic Butter Turkey
- Start by wet brining the turkey. This step is highly recommended for a juicy, well-seasoned turkey. DO NOT SKIP if you have the patience and want the best results! Bring water to a boil. Stir in salt and brown sugar until dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow brine to cool completely (add ice if needed). Submerge turkey and refrigerate 22–24 hours, flipping every 6 hours if not fully submerged.
2. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry. Let the turkey sit out for 30-45 minutes. This step will help the garlic butter stick. If the skin is still wet, the butter will slide right off.
3. Make the garlic butter by mixing 1 ½ cups softened butter, roasted garlic, herbs, spices, and seasonings until smooth. Set aside.
4. Carefully separate the skin from the breast and thighs using your hands. Rub some garlic butter under the skin. Be careful not to tear the skin. Rub a thick layer of garlic butter all over the outside of the turkey, including legs, wings, back, and inside the cavity.
5. Fill injector and inject breast, thighs, and legs with the injection marinade. Stuff the turkey cavity with onion and a head of garlic. Place turkey breast-side up on the rack over the veggie bed. Tuck wings underneath.
6. Preheat oven to 425°F. While the oven preheats, soak a cheesecloth in the injection marinade. Lay soaked cheesecloth over the turkey breasts and upper thighs. Roast turkey for 20 minutes.
7. After 20 minutes, baste the turkey with the drippings then reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Cook for 2 hours and 40 minutes more, basting every 30-40 minutes.
8. During the last 30-40 minutes of cooking, remove the cheesecloth to allow the skin to brown. Turkey is done when the breast reaches 160°F and thighs reach 170-175°F. Remove turkey from oven and let rest 20-30 minutes before carving.
Tips to Make Sure Your Garlic Butter Turkey Turns Out Great Every Time
- Don’t skip the wet brine! Don’t be intimidated by this step. I promise it’s super simple and makes all the difference.
- Use a thermometer! Nobody likes a dry turkey, so be sure to use a thermometer to avoid overcooking the turkey.
- Baste baste baste! Basting the turkey throughout the cooking process will help keep the meat nice and juicy.
- Don’t throw out the turkey drippings! The turkey drippings can make a great gravy or dipping juice for the turkey. I served the turkey drippings as a dipping juice for my Garlic Butter Turkey last year, and my family loved it!
Juicy Garlic Butter Turkey
Description
Juicy Garlic Butter Thanksgiving Turkey
Wet Brine Ingredients
Garlic Butter Ingredients
Turkey Injection Ingredients
Wet Brine Instructions
-
Bring water to a boil. Stir in salt and brown sugar until dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow brine to cool completely (add ice if needed). Submerge turkey and refrigerate 22–24 hours, flipping every 6 hours if not fully submerged. Pat dry before cooking.
Juicy Garlic Butter Turkey Instructions
-
Remove turkey from brine and pat dry. Let turkey sit out for 30-45 minutes. This step will help the garlic butter stick.
-
Mix together 1 ½ cup softened butter, roasted garlic, herbs, spices, and seasonings until smooth. Set aside.
-
Optional: If you would like to add veggies to the bottom of the roast pan, toss carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery with olive oil and seasonings. Spread evenly in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place a roasting rack over the vegetables.
-
Preheat oven to 425°F.
-
Carefully separate the skin from the breast and thighs using your hands. Rub some garlic butter under the skin. Be careful not to tear the skin.
-
Rub a thick layer of garlic butter all over the outside of the turkey, including legs, wings, back, and inside the cavity.
-
Fill injector and inject breast, thighs, and legs with the injection marinade.
-
Stuff the turkey cavity with onion and a head of garlic. Place turkey breast-side up on the rack over the veggie bed. Tuck wings underneath.
-
While the oven preheats, soak a cheesecloth in the injection marinade. Lay soaked cheesecloth over the turkey breasts and upper thighs.
-
Roast turkey for 20 minutes at 450 F.
-
After 20 minutes, baste the turkey with the drippings then reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Cook for 2 hours and 40 minutes more, basting every 30-40 minutes.
-
During the last 30-40 minutes of cooking, remove the cheesecloth to allow the skin to brown. Turkey is done when the breast reaches 160°F and thighs reach 170-175°F.
-
Remove turkey from oven and let rest 20-30 minutes before carving.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 12
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 520kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 38g59%
- Saturated Fat 15g75%
- Trans Fat 0.5g
- Cholesterol 185mg62%
- Sodium 980mg41%
- Potassium 420mg12%
- Total Carbohydrate 3g1%
- Dietary Fiber 0.5g2%
- Sugars 1g
- Protein 42g84%
- Vitamin A 420 IU
- Vitamin C 6 mg
- Calcium 45 mg
- Iron 3.1 mg
- Vitamin D 1.6 mcg
- Vitamin E 2.3 IU
- Vitamin K 12 mcg
- Thiamin 0.09 mg
- Riboflavin 0.23 mg
- Niacin 10.5 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.85 mg
- Folate 22 mcg
- Vitamin B12 1.4 mcg
- Biotin 4 mcg
- Pantothenic Acid 1.2 mg
- Phosphorus 330 mg
- Iodine 34 mcg
- Magnesium 36 mg
- Zinc 3.9 mg
- Selenium 34 mcg
- Copper 0.12 mg
- Manganese 0.04 mg
- Chromium 2 mcg
- Molybdenum 5 mcg
- Chloride 1200 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
