How to Make the Perfect Garlic Herb Butter for Turkey

A beautifully browned turkey with crispy, flavorful skin and tender, juicy meat is the star of many holiday meals. While there are many ways to cook a turkey, spreading herb butter under the skin helps ensure moist, flavorful meat When making herb butter for turkey, garlic is a must for adding tons of flavor Read on to learn all about how to make the perfect garlic herb butter to help you bake the best holiday turkey yet.

Why Use Herb Butter on Turkey?

Using an herb butter mixture under the turkey skin serves multiple purposes:

• It helps keep the breast meat moist and juicy while baking The fat from the butter bastes the turkey from the inside out

• It adds tons of flavor to the meat. Garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper infuse into the turkey.

• It helps create crispy, browned skin. The fat content from the butter helps the skin brown and crisp up nicely.

• It’s easy. Butter, garlic, herbs…that’s all you need.

Herb butter helps ensure a flavorful, juicy turkey every time. It’s a simple technique that makes a big difference.

How to Make Garlic Herb Butter for Turkey

Making your own garlic herb butter is easy and only requires a few ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of softened, unsalted butter
• 2-4 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage work well)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Equipment:

• Mixing bowl
• Fork or whisk

Instructions:

1. Allow 1 stick of butter to soften at room temperature. Cut into chunks if needed to soften quicker.

2. Mince 2-4 cloves of garlic. The garlic flavor will mellow when baked so don’t be afraid to add extra.

3. Chop about 2 tablespoons worth of fresh herbs. Common herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage pair well with turkey.

4. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

5. Use a fork or whisk to blend everything together thoroughly.

That’s it! You now have your own homemade garlic herb butter for turkey. The butter can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days until ready to use.

How Much Garlic Herb Butter for Turkey?

For a 12-15 pound turkey, you’ll want to make 2-3 batches of the garlic herb butter recipe (so 2-3 sticks of butter total). This will give you enough to spread generously under the skin as well as rub some on the skin.

Figure you’ll use about a tablespoon per pound of turkey weight. A little extra won’t hurt!

Tips for Using Garlic Herb Butter on Turkey

Once you’ve made your garlic herb butter, using it on the turkey helps add so much flavor. Here are some tips:

• Let the turkey come to room temperature first. This makes it easier to loosen the skin.

• Loosen the skin from the breast. Slide your fingers under the skin to gently separate it from the meat.

• Spread butter evenly. Rub butter thoroughly over the breast and thigh meat under the skin.

• Replace skin. Smooth the skin back over the coated meat.

• Rub skin with butter. Coat the outside of the turkey with the remaining herb butter. This helps brown the skin.

• Truss legs. Tie the legs together with kitchen string to hold in the butter.

• Cook as desired. Roast, grill, smoke, etc. The herb butter keeps the meat juicy and flavorful.

Full Herb Butter Turkey Recipe

To see the garlic herb butter in action, here is a full roast turkey recipe using an herb butter mixture:

Ingredients:

• 12-15 pound turkey, thawed
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
• 3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• Vegetable oil (for roasting pan)

Instructions:

1. Combine 3 sticks softened butter, minced garlic, chopped herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.

2. Remove giblets from turkey cavities. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels.

3. Carefully loosen the skin from the breast and thighs. Rub 2/3 of the herb butter evenly under skin.

4. Truss legs together. Rub skin with remaining herb butter. Place breast-side up on oiled rack in roasting pan.

5. Roast turkey at 325°F for 2-2.5 hours until 165°F in breast and 175°F in thighs.

6. Let rest 30 minutes before slicing.

The garlic herb butter helps ensure a juicy, flavorful holiday turkey!

Extra Flavor Combos for Herb Butter

Feel free to get creative with the herb butter possibilities! Here are some more flavor combos to try:

• Lemon garlic herb butter – Add zest of 1 lemon

• Chipotle lime herb butter – Add 1 tbsp minced chipotle pepper and zest of 1 lime

• Orange thyme herb butter – Add zest of 1 orange and use thyme as the herb

• Rosemary maple herb butter – Add 2 tbsp maple syrup and use rosemary as the herb

• Sundried tomato basil herb butter – Add 2 tbsp minced sundried tomatoes and use basil as the herb

• Jalapeño cilantro herb butter – Add 1 minced jalapeño and use cilantro as the herb

The options are endless for infusing your herb butter with lots of flavor. Garlic pairs nicely with almost any combo.

Storing and Freezing Leftover Herb Butter

Any leftover herb butter can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week. It’s also easy to freeze for longer storage:

• Freeze in butter compartment of fridge up to 1 month

• Spoon into ice cube trays, freeze, and store cubes in freezer bags up to 3 months

• Form logs on parchment paper, wrap well, and freeze up to 6 months

The frozen herb butter cubes are super handy to have on hand. Pop one out whenever a recipe calls for just a small amount of butter.

More Tips for the Perfect Turkey

Using herb butter is a great start, but here are some other tips for baking the juiciest, most flavorful turkey:

• Brine the turkey for added moisture and flavor

• Rub oil on the skin to help crisp it up

• Place breast side down, then flip halfway through baking

• Use an instant read thermometer to test doneness

• Let rest for 30 minutes before slicing for juicy meat

• Make gravy from the drippings for extra flavor

With some high quality herb butter and a few extra tricks, you’ll be baking holiday turkeys that are perfectly cooked and full of flavor. Give garlic herb butter a try for your next turkey – your family will be asking for this recipe every year!