Low Carb Garlic Butter Roast Turkey cooks up tender, juicy and perfect for your Thanksgiving or any Christmas holiday dinner table.
Ever wondering how to roast a turkey for your next holiday gathering? Cooking the perfect turkey can seem intimidating especially for a first-timer.
Today I’m sharing the recipe for this Low Carb Garlic Butter Roasted Turkey along with a few tips and tricks to help you master the perfect roast turkey.
There are a ton of roast turkeys out there – some are for a dry rub, brine smoke or just a simple herb seasoning.
This keto roast turkey is uses a simple garlic herb compound butter with no brining required. It cooks up tender, juicy, moist and full of delicious flavor. And, if you want to make this paleo and Whole 30 compliant, you can simply swap out the butter with ghee.
HOW TO THAW A TURKEY:
This low carb turky recipe works for either a fresh turkey or a frozen turkey. If your turkey is frozen, you’re going to need to know how to properly thaw the turkey.
- PLAN AHEAD: Allow 2 to 3 days for it to fully defrost in the refrigerator for a 10 pound bird. If your bird is over 13 pounds – you might want to add an extra day.
HOW TO PREPARE A ROAST TURKEY:
- remove giblets & neck, rinse & pat dry.
- tie the legs together
- tuck the wings underneath the turkey, using small skewers to secure, if necessary.
HOW TO MAKE THE LOW CARB GARLIC BUTTER ROAST TURKEY:
- If your turkey is frozen, allow 2 to 3 days for it to fully defrost in the refrigerator. Remove giblets & neck, rinse & pat dry.
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MAKE THE GARLIC HERB BUTTER: In a medium bowl, combine butter, rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, garlic, salt, and black pepper and stir together until smooth and combined.
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BUTTER THE SKIN UNDER THE TURKEY: Carefully loosen the skin from the turkey breast with your hands lifting and separating the meat. Do the same for the neck as well as the thighs and legs. Gently rub half of the butter under the skin using your hands and fingers and place 3 sage leaves and 2 thyme sprigs under the skin. Tie the legs together and tuck the wings underneath the turkey, using small skewers to secure, if necessary.
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BRUSH THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR TURKEY WITH REMAINDER OF BUTTER: Place 1/3 of the onions, celery, carrots, 2 sage leaves, 2 thyme sprigs, 1 rosemary sprig and lemon halves inside the cavity of the turkey. Place turkey, breast side up in a large roasting pan. Melt the remaining butter in the microwave and brush an even layer over the skin of the turkey. Arrange remaining carrots, celery and herbs in the pan around the turkey. Pour chicken broth to the bottom of the pan (will be using liquid to baste turkey).
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COOK YOUR TURKEY: Preheat your oven to 425°F and position the rack on the lower third of the oven. Once the oven is ready, place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to roast until a meat thermometer (inserted deep into the thigh but away from the bone) reads 180°F and juices in the thigh run clear when pierced with a fork, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours (or longer depending on your oven), basting with pan broth & drippings every 30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly. Remove turkey from the pan and onto a baking sheet and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Strain and reserve pan juices for gravy, if desired, and discard vegetables.
HOW LONG DO YOU ROAST A TURKEY FOR?
Depending on the size of your turkey, the general rule of thumb according to USDA is 15 minutes per pound for a fresh unstuffed turkey. If you want to cook your turkey from frozen, then it would be 22 minutes per pound.
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO COOK A MOIST TURKEY?
To ensure the best moist turkey every time:
- butter your turkey
- baste the turkey with the pan drippings every 30-45 minutes
- start the oven temperature high then turn it down low to 350 F
- tent with foil the last hour of cooking
WHAT’S TEMPERATURE SHOULD I ROAST A TURKEY?
Cook the turkey at 425 F then reduce the temperature to 350 F. This ensures the best moist and juicy turkey.
The minimum internal temperature of the turkey should be 165 degrees F. Use a probe thermometer to check if the turkey is done. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh and breast. Avoid touching the bone as this will give you an inaccurate temperature.
TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST KETO TURKEY:
- Plan ahead and allow enough time for the turkey to thaw – if your turkey is frozen, be sure to allow 2-3 days to defrost
- Add chicken or turkey stock – pour in 1 cup chicken broth/stock into your roasting pan along with herbs and aromatics and you’ll end up with a juicy and moist turkey plus a delicious gravy when you serve your turkey
- Temperature – Start cooking your turkey at 425 F then reduce the temperature to 325 F for the remainder of the cooking time. This allows even browning. Tent the turkey with foil the the last hour of cooking
- Basting – basting every 30-45 minutes using a turkey baster or large metal serving spoon keeps your turkey moist during roasting.
After the turkey is cooked, you can use the pan drippings to make a delicious turkey gravy:
HOW TO MAKE TURKEY GRAVY:
- Pan drippings from a 12- to 14-pound roast turkey
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup flour (use gluten free as necessary)
- low-sodium broth or water as needed, to thin out the gravy
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Once the turkey is done, pour the pan drippings through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 1/4 cup butter.
- Slowly whisk in flour until smooth, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
- Whisk in pan drippings, then slowly add broth (a little bit at a time) as needed to thin out gravy. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Low Carb Garlic Butter Roast Turkey
Ingredients
- One 12-14 pound whole turkey giblets + neck removed, rinsed + patted dry
- 6 fresh sage leaves divided
- 5 fresh thyme sprigs divided
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 medium onions cut into wedges
- 5 medium carrots cut into 2" inch pieces
- 4 celery ribs cut into 2" inch pieces
- 1 lemon halved
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Garlic Herb Butter:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2-3 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
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If your turkey is frozen, allow 2 to 3 days for it to fully defrost in the refrigerator. Remove giblets & neck, rinse & pat dry.
-
To make the butter: In a medium bowl, combine butter, rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, garlic, salt, and black pepper and stir together until smooth and combined.
-
Carefully loosen the skin from the turkey breast with your hands lifting and separating the meat. Do the same for the neck as well as the thighs and legs. Gently rub half of the butter under the skin using your hands and fingers and place 3 sage leaves and 2 thyme sprigs under the skin. Tie the legs together and tuck the wings underneath the turkey, using small skewers to secure, if necessary.
-
Place 1/3 of the onions, celery, carrots, 2 sage leaves, 2 thyme sprigs, 1 rosemary sprig and lemon halves inside the cavity of the turkey. Place turkey, breast side up in a large roasting pan. Melt the remaining butter in the microwave and brush an even layer over the skin of the turkey. Arrange remaining carrots, celery and herbs in the pan around the turkey. Pour chicken broth to the bottom of the pan (will be using liquid to baste turkey).
-
Preheat oven to 425°F and position rack on lower third of the oven. Once the oven is ready, place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to roast until a meat thermometer (inserted deep into the thigh but away from the bone) reads 180°F and juices in the thigh run clear when pierced with a fork, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours (or longer depending on your oven), basting with pan broth & drippings every 30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly. Remove turkey from the pan and onto a baking sheet and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Strain and reserve pan juices for gravy, if desired, and discard vegetables.
Recipe Notes
*Carrots and celery can be prepared in advance to save time *Compound butter can be made ahead of time and placed in a covered container in the refrig
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