posted by Stacie on November 21, 2021 // 47 Comments »
Butterball Turkey Recipe
Some of my earliest memories of Thanksgiving include talk of my father or grandfather waking at some unfathomable hour of the morning to put in a 30-pound turkey. We weren’t anticipating 30-plus people to attend so we went with a 14-pound turkey and more modern cooking style. Hot and fast. This will help keep your turkey moist, especially after the 16-hour turkey brine we had it in. We hope that this Butterball Turkey Roast Recipe inspires you.
Butterball Turkey Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- 14-lb Butterball turkey
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 large Honeycrisp apple
- 2 pears
- 1 onion
- large bunch of fresh thyme
- fresh sage, rough chop
- sea salt
- disposable rubber gloves
- aluminum foil
- twine
- large roasting pan
Turkey prep tips | Turkeyrecipe leftovers
Special Notes
You may opt to brine your turkey for a few hours or up to 2 days ahead of cooking time. This is not necessary, simply a nice step to help retain moisture and infuse great big flavor into the bird. Check out this brine recipe from Savory Sweet Life, it is spot on.
It is my preference to wear disposable rubber gloves whenever handling raw meat, especially for this big project! I changed them out whenever needing to go from handling the turkey to handling utensils, and dishes or touching the oven.
Directions for the butterball roast turkey recipe
- With your turkey fully thawed carefully remove the ‘things’ inside, in most cases you will discard them. If you plan to brine your bird, you will want to start this process now. If heading to the oven you will now want to place your turkey on your roasting rack and let rest. Preheat to 500 degrees while you prep the fruit and veggies.
- Thoroughly wash your apple, pear, sage, and thyme. Cutting into long quarters will help everything best fit inside. Stuff it all in the bird, but be sure to alternate the placement of the things so you’ll have variation in flavor.
- With the bird stuffed rub the entire outside with olive oil and butter. You will now want to take a large piece of aluminum foil, create a big triangle, and mold it so that it will fit over the breast meat/top of the turkey but leave the legs exposed. Pre-forming helps prevent burning yourself with a HOT turkey and roasting pan. Dark meat lovers typically enjoy that meat cooked to 170 degrees whereas white meat should be cooked to 165 degrees. This will help even the cooking and help keep moisture in. You will leave the turkey uncovered for the first 30 minutes, so leave this off to the side.
- When everything is set and your oven is ready to go slide the turkey in, feet first. Cook at 500 degrees for 30 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and cover with your preformed tinfoil. You will want to cook your turkey from here based on its size. Our 14+ pound turkey took about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Take off the foil for the last 15 minutes to get the delicious, golden brown turkey skin.
Common Roasting the Perfect Turkey Recipe Questions
how long to roast a turkey? The general rule for cooking a turkeyis 20 minutes per pound, but that can vary depending on whether or not yourturkey recipe calls for a stuffed or unstuffed bird.
how often to baste turkey? what do you baste a turkey with? how to keep a turkey from drying out? how to keep turkey breast moist? Basting a turkey is the best thing that you can do for it, but the best turkey baster in the world only works if you use it. Most say baste every 30 minutes but my husband bastes every 15-20 minutes for a better-tasting and more moist bird.
which turkey is best for Thanksgiving? We always choose a fresh turkey over a frozen one but honestly, both can turn out amazing with this recipe.
how to cook a moist turkey with crispy skin? when to uncover turkey for browning? how to make a golden brown turkey? when to tent a turkey? Cook at 500 degrees for 30 minutes. Then cover or tent with foil and cook at 350 degrees for the remaining time depending on weight. Take off the foil for the last 15 minutes to get the delicious, golden brown turkey skin.
how to keep the turkey moist after cooking? Once it sets for about 10 minutes, cover your turkey with a kitchen towel or saran wrap to keep it steaming.
After countless years and turkeys roasted, this Butterball turkey roast recipe is the best turkey cooking method for easy turkey recipes the best way to cook a turkey in the oven, and the best turkey recipe in the world roast. We hope that you are inspired by this Butterball Turkey Recipe. Happy cooking!
posted in Meat + Grilling Out
FAQs
Roasting is the most common way to cook a turkey. Follow our tips and tricks to create a delicious roast! Grilling is a great way to bring friends together. Add a Butterball® turkey, and your next outdoor gathering will become a memorable feast.
What is the most frequent question on the Butterball turkey talk line? ›
No one seems to know how to thaw a turkey in America. Every year, around 100,000 people call the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line to ask their most burning question: how the heck do I thaw this thing?
What makes a Butterball turkey moist? ›
We pre-brine directly in the breast meat ensuring you can take the turkey from the packaging to your pan without a lot of additional preparation before cooking and enjoy the most tender and juicy turkey possible.
Should you put butter under the skin of a Butterball turkey? ›
Place turkey, breast side up, on flat rack in shallow roasting pan (2 to 2½ inches deep). Evenly spread ¼ cup butter mixture between skin and breast meat of turkey, being careful not to tear skin. Season cavity of turkey with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Do you cook a Butterball turkey at 325 or 350? ›
Preheat oven to 325° F. Drain juices and pat dry with clean paper towels. Place turkey breast-side-up on a flat rack in a shallow roasting pan 2 to 2½ inches deep. Turn the wings back to hold the neck skin in place.
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350? ›
It's better to cook a turkey at 350°F after preheating the oven to 450°F. This makes the skin crispier and ensures the turkey will get cooked evenly.
What is the Butterball turkey controversy? ›
Mercy for Animals' 2011 investigation at a Butterball turkey factory farm in Shannon, Hoke County, North Carolina revealed Butterball workers violently kicking and stomping on birds, dragging them by their wings and necks, slamming them into transport crates, and leaving turkeys to suffer from serious untreated ...
What makes Butterball turkeys better? ›
Butterball turkeys are already injected with a solution of water, salt, and spices that helps to keep them moist and juicy. Brining them would only add more salt to the turkey, which could make it too salty. However, if you want to brine your Butterball turkey for extra flavor and moisture, you can do so.
What temperature do you Cook a Butterball turkey? ›
Cooking times depend on the size of the bird and if it is stuffed or not, but will generally take between 2 to 5 hours. Butterball recommends roasting at 325 ° F on an open pan. The bird can also be fried, smoked or grilled. There is only one way to be sure of a turkey's doneness: the temperature.
What are 2 ways to keep turkey from drying out? ›
5 Ways to Prevent Your Turkey from Drying Out
- Cook Pieces Instead of a Whole Turkey. ...
- If Cooking a Whole Turkey, Buy Frozen. ...
- Ditch the Plastic Pop-Up Timer; Use an Instant-Read Thermometer Instead. ...
- Elevate the Legs. ...
- Let the Turkey Rest.
The tip of the thermometer should be placed into the thick part of thigh without touching the bone. Remove the turkey when it reaches 180°F. The breast must reach 170°F and if the turkey is stuffed, check the temperature of the center of the stuffing to make sure it's cooked to 165°F.
Are all Butterball turkeys infused with butter? ›
In fact, there is no actual butter in or on a Butterball turkey. The fresh turkeys are injected with a basting solution made of salt water and “common household spices,” one brand representative told me.
Should I use butter or olive oil on my turkey? ›
Should you rub turkey with butter or oil? Some chefs suggest rubbing the turkey skin with vegetable or olive oil rather than using butter for turkey. This debate has very little to do with the meat itself but more to do with getting brown, crispy skin.
What should you season your turkey with? ›
Stick with salt and pepper, put herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage to work, or take spicy Cajun seasoning for a spin for some kick. Whatever blend you choose, spread it all over the turkey—on top, underneath, between the body and wings and legs, under the skin, and even in the cavity of the bird.
How to season a Butterball turkey for roasting? ›
Place turkey, breast side up in prepared pan, place 5 thyme, rosemary and sage sprigs and half of onion in turkey cavity; place shallots, garlic, remaining onions, and remaining herbs around turkey. Place pan in oven; reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
What is the most common method for cooking a turkey? ›
The Classic Method: Roasted
If it's your first time cooking a turkey or if you're aiming for foolproof rather than novel, you've got to go with the roasted turkey. This is your classic, basted bird stuffed with a bouquet of delectable aromatics or nothing at all, depending on your preferences.
What is the preferred cooking method of turkey? ›
Roasting is the classic way to cook a turkey, and it has some advantages. A roasted turkey is the most visually appealing of your cooking options, and you have a lot of control over the temperature.
Which way is better to cook a turkey? ›
It's personal preference whether you choose to cook a turkey breast-side up or breast-side down. The United States Department of Agriculture advises to cook a whole turkey breast side up during the entire cooking time.
What is the difference between Butterball turkey and regular turkey? ›
Fresh Butterball turkeys are pre-injected with brine that contains water, lemon juice, sodium ascorbate, modified corn starch, and flavours to enhance the flavour and shelf-life. Pre-brined turkeys can turn out to be saltier than you wanted, especially if you want to add your own seasoning to the turkey.
