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roasted turkey with pomegranate sauce on a cutting board.

Christmas Turkey Recipe

Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Servings: 12
Calories: 593kcal
Author: Laurel Perry
This holiday turkey is deliciously herb-y and juicy, perfect for Christmas dinner!
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Roasting Pan

Ingredients

For the Turkey

For the Compound Butter

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (2 sticks)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon blood orange zest (from 1 orange)

Optional Garnishes

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Place your turkey on a roasting pan. Pat the skin dry.
    12 pound whole turkey
  • Stuff the cavity with the oranges, onion, garlic, rosemary, and sage.
    2 blood oranges, 1 yellow onion, 1 head garlic, 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, 2 sprigs fresh sage
    a turkey is sitting in a pan on a marble countertop.
  • Make the compound butter: In a medium bowl, mash the butter with a fork. Add in the remaining compound butter ingredients and stir until smooth.
    1 cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage, 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon blood orange zest
    lemon butter in a glass bowl on a marble countertop.
  • Loosen the skin on the turkey breast. Spread half of the butter mixture under the skin. Rub the remaining half of the mixture all over the turkey.
    a roasted chicken in a cast iron pan.
  • Roast the turkey for 30 minutes.
    a roasted turkey in a pan on a marble countertop.
  • Add the chicken stock to the bottom of the roasting pan and roast for another 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 45 minutes, until the turkey reaches 165°F, basting occasionally during the cooking time.
    2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
    roasted turkey in a roasting pan on a marble countertop.
  • Remove from the oven and set the turkey aside onto a cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest for 15-20 minutes.
  • While the turkey rests, use the pan drippings to make the gravy.
    Turkey gravy
    a pot full of soup in a stainless steel pot.
  • Serve turkey with garnishes and gravy.
    Blood orange wedges, Rosemary sprigs, Pomegranate arils

Video

Notes

  • Plan on 1 pound of turkey per person.
  • You can use regular oranges in place of blood oranges.
  • You can use thyme in place of the rosemary or sage.
  • Roast breast side down. 
  • Check the turkey throughout the cook time, to be sure it’s not cooking or browning too quickly.
  • Use an instant read thermometer. This will ensure that you don’t overcook your Thanksgiving turkey. It should register at 160-165°F when inserted into the middle of the breast and thigh.
  • Let it rest! When the turkey is ready to come out of the oven, cover it loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute and not escape when it is carved.
  • Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Storage: Store Christmas turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pound | Calories: 593kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 70g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 273mg | Sodium: 944mg | Potassium: 735mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg