A herb and citrus roasted Butterball whole turkey on a Thanksgiving table with green beans, stuffing, and mashed potatoes.

Herb and Citrus Butter Roasted Whole Turkey

A pinch of assorted herbs, a dollop of citrus butter, and a second helping's worth of flavor. This Thanksgiving recipe puts a fresh twist on a familiar favorite.

Prep Time
< 30 minutes
Total Time
3+ hours
Calories Per Serving
520

Ingredients

  • 3 small oranges, divided
  • 2 small lemons, divided
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 (12- to 14-pound) BUTTERBALL® Fresh or Frozen Whole Turkey, thawed
  • 6 medium shallots or small onions, peeled, halved, divided
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried crushed rosemary

Directions

  1. Position oven rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. Remove 1 teaspoon orange peel and 1 teaspoon lemon peel from fruit. Cut peeled orange and peeled lemon into quarters; set aside.
  3. Combine orange peel, lemon peel, butter, minced rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, onion powder and garlic powder in medium bowl.
  4. Drain juices from turkey and pat dry with paper towels. 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.
  5. Season cavity of turkey with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Place peeled orange and lemon quarters, 2 shallots and rosemary sprigs into turkey cavity. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Turn wings back to hold neck skin in place. (Tucking wings will help stabilize turkey in pan and when carving). Rub ¼ cup butter mixture all over turkey. Cut remaining 2 oranges and 1 lemon into quarters. Place orange and lemon quarters and remaining 4 shallots around turkey. Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer deep into lower part of thigh without touching bone.
  6. Melt remaining ½ cup butter mixture and keep warm.
  7. Bake turkey until meat thermometer in thigh registers 170°F and an instant-read thermometer inserted into breast and stuffing registers 170°F (3 to 3 ½ hours brushing turkey with melted butter mixture once every hour for the first 2 hours and covering loosely with foil after 2 hours to prevent excess browning). Lift turkey onto platter and let stand 15 minutes before carving.
  8. Pro Tip: Cooked leftover turkey is good for 3 to 4 days. To save for even longer, pop it in the freezer to save for up to 6 months!
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Ingredients

  • 3 small oranges, divided
  • 2 small lemons, divided
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 (12- to 14-pound) BUTTERBALL® Fresh or Frozen Whole Turkey, thawed
  • 6 medium shallots or small onions, peeled, halved, divided
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried crushed rosemary

Nutritional Facts

People Served
10
Carbs Per Serving
12g
Cholesterol Per Serving
170mg
Dietary Fiber Per Serving
2g
Protein Per Serving
39g
Saturated Fat Per Serving
17g
Sodium Per Serving
850mg
Sugar Per Serving
6g
Total Fat Per Serving
36g
Trans Fat Per Serving
0g