Oven Roasted Maple Butter Turkey

This oven roasted Maple Butter Turkey is the ultimate Thanksgiving centerpiece, and it frees you up to prep those side dishes! The herb butter and maple glaze not only keep the turkey juicy but also create the perfect drippings/marinade for candied carrots. Imagine the flavors of sweet, herby turkey balanced with those holiday sides. Keep reading to lock in your Thanksgiving feast game plan!

How to Thaw Turkey

Before diving into the marinade and glaze, let’s talk about how to prepare your turkey for the oven. Here are some guidelines from USDA.gov on thawing a turkey:

• Refrigerator Thawing: Allow 24 hours of thawing time for every 4–5 pounds of turkey.For example, a 16-pound turkey (like the one in the picture) takes about 4 days to thaw in the fridge. A thawed turkey stays fresh in the fridge for an additional 1–2 days, so if you buy your turkey by Friday or Saturday before Thanksgiving, it should be ready for roasting by Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Therefore, leave the turkey package on and place it on a large baking sheet and refrigerate to thaw.
• Cold Water Thawing: Keep the turkey in its original packaging and ensure the water stays cold. Submerge the turkey in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes.It takes about 30 minutes per pound to thaw a turkey using this method, so a 16-pound turkey will take roughly 8 hours. Once the turkey is thawed, you must cook it immediately.
• Microwave Thawing: I haven’t personally tried this method, but the USDA recommends removing the bird from its packaging and allowing about 6 minutes per pound to thaw. If the turkey starts cooking instead of thawing, let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing.
• *Note: You want to plan for each person eating about 1.5 – 2 lbs turkey at the party. This includes the weight of the bones. Therefore, my 16 pounds turkey is perfect for 8-11 people.

What Does Putting Butter Under the Skin of Turkey Do?

I make an herb butter and rub it under and on the skin of the turkey to add flavor, keep the meat moist, and achieve crispy skin all at once. This part is where you can get creative, customizing the aromatics to flavor the meat and set the base for your gravy. I simply chop fresh herbs and lemon or orange zest, then mix with salt and softened butter. Don’t be alarmed by the 3 tablespoons of salt in my herb butter mix—it’s just the right amount for a 16-pound turkey! Based on my recipe testing, this herb butter mix works perfectly for birds between 12 and 18 pounds.

What to Put in The Cavity of a Turkey?

Instead of cooking a stuffing in the turkey cavity, I stuff the cavity with more aromatics. These include sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley, cinnamon stick, apples, lemon, orange, onion, and garlic. You do not need to have everything on this list, just do the best you can. However, make sure to include a whole head of garlic. You can use that perfectly roasted garlic in your gravy and roasted garlic mashed potatoes later.

Tools You Need to Roast Turkey

I keep things as simple as possible to encourage you to cook confidently! I’ve been roasting turkeys without a traditional roasting rack for nearly 30 years. For a 12–14 pound turkey, you can actually create a natural rack using carrots, onions, and celery, which will enhance the drippings for a delicious gravy. For more on this, check out my Asian Spiced Thanksgiving Turkey video. However, in this recipe, I’m using a roasting rack and a larger pan. You’ll also need tin foil and a brush for the maple butter glaze. I’ve tried roasting without foil, and while it worked, I found it stressful as I worried about parts of the turkey drying out or burning. So, I recommend covering the turkey for the first two hours to keep it moist and perfectly golden.

How to Make Maple Butter Glaze for Turkey.

To make the maple butter glaze, simply simmer butter, maple syrup, salt, garlic powder, and paprika for 3–5 minutes. After roasting the turkey (covered) for two hours, uncover the bird then brush on the maple butter glaze every 20–30 minutes. With each glaze, the turkey will turn a beautiful golden brown. The herb butter and maple butter will also cook the carrots in the roasting pan to perfection, creating delicious roasted carrots. All that’s left is to make a yogurt sauce for the carrots, and you’ll have both a main and side dish ready to go!

How to Tell When the Turkey is Cooked Through.

In this recipe, I roast the turkey at a consistent temperature of 325°F. It takes about 15 minutes per pound, so for a 16-pound turkey, expect a total cooking time of 4 hours (2 hours covered, then 2 hours uncovered, glazing with maple butter every 20–30 minutes after uncovering).

Here’s how to tell when your turkey is fully cooked:

• Clear Juices: Pierce the turkey near the inner thigh —if the juices run clear (not pink or reddish), it’s fully cooked. (How I check it with my Asian eyes :D)
• The plastic pop-up timer that often comes with store-bought turkeys will also pop up when the turkey is fully cooked.
• Internal Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the thigh; it should reach 165°F for safe consumption.
• Leg Movement: The turkey legs should wiggle easily in their joints, indicating the bird is tender and fully cooked.

Some Ideas for Your Thanksgiving Feast Game Plan.

Here’s how I typically organize my time to prepare Thanksgiving dishes. Feel free to customize this plan and the dishes to fit your family’s preferences:

• 5–6 Days Before Thanksgiving:
  • Thaw the turkey in the fridge. Leave it in the packaging, place it on a large baking sheet, and refrigerate.
• 1–2 Hours Before Cooking:
  • Set the turkey out to bring it closer to room temperature.
  • Meanwhile, chop the herbs and soften the butter to make herb butter for the rub.
• Preheat the Oven:
  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Prepare the Turkey:
  • Remove the packaging and take the neck and giblets out of the turkey cavity. Place the neck and liver in the baking pan along with carrots, celery, and onion.
  • The plastic part holding turkey legs in place is called “hock locks”. It is oven safe, but I like to take it off to help the legs cook faster and the breast not dry out.
  • Loosen the turkey skin with your fingers and rub the herb butter both under and over the skin.

• Add Olive Oil:
  • Drizzle olive oil over the turkey skin to prevent the butter from burning and to help achieve a crispy skin.
• Roast the Turkey:
  • Cover the turkey with tin foil and roast for 2 hours.

• During the first 2 Hours of Roasting:
  • Make maple butter glaze.
  • Make some dinner rolls or peasant bread. Try my no knead recipes dough.
  • Make yogurt sauce for roasted carrots.
  • Make cranberry sauce.
  • Prepare a salad. If you want an Asian or the Thai twist, try making my Thai Crunchy Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing.
  • Prepare other appetizer such as cranberry nut goat cheese balls.
  • Prepare other side dishes such as spicy green beans and cucumber kimchi.

• After 2 Hours of Roasting to When the Turkey is Fully Cooked:
  • Remove the tin foil from turkey and glaze with maple butter every 20 – 30 minutes.
  • During the last 30 minutes of baking, start preparing potatoes for roasted garlic mashed potatoes.

• After the Turkey is Cooked (Do not carve the turkey yet):
  • Make sure to let the turkey rest at least 1-2 hours before carving so that it maintains all of its juiciness inside. In fact, Gordon Ramsey said however long you roasted the bird in the oven, that’s the amount of time you should leave it to cool down.
  • Take roasted garlic out and use some for roasted garlic mashed potatoes.
  • Arrange the roasted carrots onto yogurt sauce.
  • Use the dripping and all vegetables earlier to make gluten free turkey gravy.
  • Make stuffing. Try my butternut squash stuffing.

Storing and Using Leftovers Turkey Ideas

Store leftover turkey in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Get creative with your leftovers by changing up the flavor profiles—from Western to Asian-inspired dishes. Here are some ideas:

• Curry Puffs with Leftover Turkey
• Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels
• Creamy Pumpkin Gnocchi Soup with Leftover Turkey
• Pad See Ew (using cooked turkey speeds up the process)
• Khao Piek Sen (swap rotisserie chicken for turkey)

Oven Roasted Maple Butter Turkey

Mary Thatcher

This oven roasted Maple Butter Turkey is the ultimate Thanksgiving centerpiece, and it frees you up to prep those side dishes! The herb butter and maple glaze not only keep the turkey juicy but also create the perfect drippings/marinade for candied carrots. Imagine the flavors of sweet, herby turkey balanced with those holiday sides. Keep reading to lock in your Thanksgiving feast game plan!

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 10 people

Equipment

• 1 roasting pan (with turkey rack)
• 1 knife
• 1 cutting board

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For Herb Butter Marinade

• 1 cup butter
• ½ cup chopped herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Use what you have to get a combination of 1/2 cup chopped herb.)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest (or orange zest)
• 3 tbsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

For the Roasting Pan and Turkey Skin

• 1 turkey (12-16 pounds)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (To drizzle over the turkey skin before roasting)
• 1 lb carrots (For roasting in the pan under the rack)
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 yellow onion (chop into quarters)

For the Turkey Cavity (Again do the best you can. You don't have to have everything.)

• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 sprig sage
• parsley
• 1 head garlic
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 orange
• 1 apple
• 1 lemon
• 1 onion

For Maple Butter Glaze

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup maple syrup
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

 

Make Herb Butter for Marinade

• Bring the butter to room temperature or microwave it for about 20 seconds. Chop some thyme, rosemary, sage, and parsley.
• Mix butter, chopped herb, salt, and pepper together and set aside.

Prepare the Turkey and Things for Roasting Pan

• Pre-Heat the oven to 325 degrees ℉.
• Remove the packaging and take the neck, liver, and giblets out of the turkey cavity. Place them in the baking pan along with carrots, celery, and onion.
• The plastic part holding turkey legs in place is called “hock locks”. It is oven safe, but I like to take it off to help the legs cook faster and the breast not dry out.
• Loosen the turkey skin with your fingers and rub the herb butter both under and over the skin.
• Drizzle olive oil over the turkey skin to prevent the butter from burning and to help achieve a crispy skin.
• Stuff the cavity with some apples, cinnamon stick, sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary, lemon and orange.

Roasting and Glazing the Turkey

• Cover the turkey with tin foil and roast for 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, mix butter, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and maple syrup. Stir to combine and simmer on medium heat for 3–5 minutes, then set aside.
• After 2 hours of roasting, remove the foil and glaze the turkey with the maple butter every 20–30 minutes until it’s fully cooked. (Remember that it takes about 15 minutes per pound to cook the turkey.)
• Once the turkey is done and out of the oven, let it rest for at least 1–2 hours before carving to retain the juices.Enjoy!

Video

@stickyricethaikitchen

Oven Roasted Maple Butter Turkey Ingredients ⬇️ For Herb Butter Marinade 1 cup butter ½ cup chopped herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Use what you have to get a combination of 1/2 cup chopped herb.) 1 tbsp lemon zest (or orange zest) 3 tbsp sea salt 1 tsp black pepper For the Roasting Pan and Turkey Skin 1 turkey (12-16 pounds) 1 tbsp olive oil (To drizzle over the turkey skin before roasting) 1 lb carrots (For roasting in the pan under the rack) 2 stalks celery 1 yellow onion (chop into quarters) For the Turkey Cavity (Again do the best you can. You don’t have to have everything.) 1 sprig rosemary 1 sprig thyme 1 sprig sage parsley 1 head garlic 1 cinnamon stick 1 orange 1 apple 1 lemon 1 onion For Maple Butter Glaze ½ cup butter 1 cup maple syrup ½ tsp paprika 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp salt #thanksandgiving#turkey#maplebutterturkey#ovenroastedturkey#ovenroastedturkey#mapleturkey#thanksgivingturkey#cookinghack#kitchenhacks#homemadefood#feasting#thanksgivingfeast#turkeyrecipe#tiktokrecipe#turkeydinner#candiedcarrots#roastedcarrot#thankful#grattitude#thanksgiving2024

♬ Originalton – yannicklowack

Notes

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Keyword Maple Butter Turkey, Oven Roasted Maple Butter Turkey, Oven Roasted Turkey

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