Herbed Turkey Recipes

HERBED ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lowest position. Remove packet of giblets and neck from cavity. Discard liver. Rinse remaining giblets and neck; refrigerate until ready to make broth.
• Turn turkey on its back and bend wing tips forward and underneath neck cavity of bird so they stay in place (you may have to break the bones).
• In a small bowl, combine parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, garlic, 4 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using your fingers, carefully loosen skin of breast and around thighs and rub herb mixture under skin of both.
• Season cavity with salt and pepper and loosely fill with lemons and rosemary sprigs. Using cotton kitchen twine, tie legs together so bird retains its shape and moisture during cooking.
• Pour cider in bottom of pan. Set roasting rack on top. Lift turkey onto rack, breast side up; rub with remaining tablespoon oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Roast 1 hour. Uncover and continue to roast, basting frequently with pan juices, until an instant read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 170 degrees, 2 1/2 to 3 hours more. (Temperature will rise about 10 degrees as turkey rests.) Tent with foil if browning too quickly; add water if pan becomes dry. Cover loosely with foil, and let stand 30 minutes before carving. Serve with roasted vegetables.

HERBED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a small saucepan, combine the first 8 ingredients; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Place turkey in a shallow roasting pan; drizzle with butter mixture. , Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 165°, 1-1/2 to 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before carving.

THANKSGIVING PIONEER-STYLE HERB ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• For the turkey: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.
• Combine the butter, sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper and fill the cavity with half of the carrots, celery, and onion. Rub the entire turkey with herb butter and season liberally with salt and pepper.
• Put 4 cups of the chicken stock in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
• Place the remaining vegetables on the bottom of a large roasting pan. Put the turkey on top of the vegetables, put in the oven, and roast in the oven until lightly golden brown, 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue roasting, basting with the warm chicken stock every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 160 degrees F, about 2 to 2 1/4 hours longer. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer to baking sheet and tent loosely with foil, and let rest 20 minutes before slicing.
• For the sage gravy:
• Strain the cooking liquid from the roasting pan into a medium saucepan (should be about 4 cups, if not, add more stock to make 4 cups). Add the neck, bring to a boil, add the sage leaves, remove from the heat, and let steep for 15 minutes. Remove the sage leaves.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until reduced. Whisk in the stock and cook until thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and chopped sage.

DRY-BRINED HERBED TURKEY

Steps:

• The day before roasting the turkey, remove the neck and giblets and reserve for gravy (see below). Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and put on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Combine 1/4 cup salt, the sugar, 1 tablespoon each rosemary, sage and thyme, the celery seeds and 2 teaspoons pepper in a spice grinder. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped and the salt is pale green. Rub the turkey inside and out with the salt mixture, rubbing some under the skin of the breasts. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Position an oven rack in the lowest position (remove the other racks); preheat to 350 degrees F. Rinse the turkey well and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the herb sprigs, carrot, celery and shallots. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Put the turkey breast-side up on a rack set in a large roasting pan and tuck the wings under the body. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Pour the wine over the turkey, then brush all over with the melted butter. Roast the turkey 1 hour, then baste with the pan drippings, adding up to 1/2 cup water to the pan if the drippings are getting too dark. Continue to roast the turkey, basting every 30 minutes and adding more water to the pan if needed, until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 160 degrees F, 1 1/2 to 2 more hours. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving; reserve the drippings for the gravy.

EASY HERB-ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Clean turkey (discard giblets and organs), and place in a roasting pan with a lid.
• In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic powder, dried basil, ground sage, salt, and black pepper. Using a basting brush, apply the mixture to the outside of the uncooked turkey. Pour water into the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover.
• Bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh measures 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove bird from oven, and allow to stand for about 30 minutes before carving.

HERBED TURKEY AND DRESSING

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the broth, butter and salt; bring to a boil. Add herbs; set aside. , Toast bread; cut into 1/2-in. cubes. Place in a bowl. In a skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; remove with slotted spoon and add to bread. Add butter to drippings; saute the celery, carrots, mushrooms, ham and onions for 15 minutes. , Add to bread mixture; stir in the nuts, fruit and seasonings. Add egg substitute and 3/4 cup basting sauce; mix lightly. , Stuff turkey with about 8 cups dressing. Skewer openings; tie drumsticks together. Place on rack in roasting pan. Baste with some of remaining basting sauce. , Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 5 to 5-1/2 hours or until a thermometer reads 180° for the turkey and 165° for the stuffing, basting every 30 minutes. When turkey begins to brown, cover lightly with foil. , Add broth to remaining dressing; toss to coat. Place in a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish; refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 325° for 1 hour; uncover and bake 10 minutes.

HERB TURKEY RUB

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, mix rosemary, thyme, onion, garlic, white wine Worcestershire sauce, coarse salt, pepper, and olive oil. Pulse until well blended. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator at least 10 minutes before rubbing under turkey skin or injecting into meat as desired.

HERBED TURKEY BURGERS

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook, stirring, until they are soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix together turkey, mint, parsley, 2 teaspoons of mustard, and shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Divide into four equal parts, and form into patties.
• Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add patties, and cook until underside is brown, about 3 1/2 minutes. Turn, and continue cooking until other side is brown and center is no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Transfer to plates; serve immediately with rolls, lettuce, mustard, and tomato salad.

HERBED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Loosen skin from turkey with fingers, leaving skin attached along bottom edges.
• In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and seasonings.
• Spread under turkey skin.
• Combine remaining lemon juice and oil; Set aside.
• Place turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
• Bake, uncovered for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until meat thermometer reads 170°F.
• Basting every 15 to 20 minutes with lemon mixture.
• Let stand for 10 minutes.
• Discard skin before carving.