The Best Herb Butter for Turkey
No matter how you plan on cooking turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, or any other special occasion this holiday season, spreading a generous helping of herbed butter on the turkey skin is a must! One of the easiest ways to add extra flavor, helps achieve a crispy skin and adds to the pan juices in the bottom of the pan that can be used to baste the large bird. The whole family is going to love this flavored butter addition to make the best turkey!
Looking for More Ways to Use Herbed Butter?
If you love a good herbed butter as much as we do, you definitely need to try adding it to your Boiled Potatoes for a delicious side dish!
What You Will Need
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- fresh sage, fresh thyme, & fresh rosemary – love this combination of fresh herbs but feel free to use your favorites or even dried herbs.
- fresh garlic – fresh turkey is always better with some garlic cloves in the mix.
- unsalted butter – some people prefer olive oil, but we feel like butter provides the best results. The best way to make this dairy free is to use plant-based butter.
- kosher salt – just a pinch is a great way to add even more flavor!
How To Make Herb Butter For Turkey
Step 1: Grab a cutting board and sharp knife to chop up the fresh herbs.
Step 2: Place all of the herbs, garlic, and salt in a medium bowl with the room temperature butter. Mix to fully combine the butter mixture.
Step 3: If you are making your favorite roast turkey recipe, simply place turkey on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan, pat dry with a paper towel, and then use your hands to spread the herb butter in all the nooks and crannies of your flavorful turkey. Just make sure the frozen turkey is fully thawed before adding this herb compound butter to the skin of the turkey.
Pro Tip
As the turkey cooks, the herbed butter on top will turn into melted butter in the bottom of the roasting pan. This is perfect for basting the outside of the turkey while it continues to cook. When it is done cooking, use those flavorful pan drippings and follow our tutorial on how to make turkey gravy!
Recipe FAQ
It is a simple mixture of soft butter and fresh herbs! We love to also add some garlic, because everything is always better with garlic.
Fresh sage is a very traditional herb that is associated with turkey. We also recommend thyme and rosemary. You can also use fresh parsley or any others that you love.
Absolutely! This flavor-packed butter is perfect for roast turkey breast, a spatchcock turkey, turkey neck, or the best baked turkey wings.
Made this recipe and loved it?!
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Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 5-6 tablespoons butter, softened
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Use a fork to combine everything together.
- Pat the outside of the turkey dry with clean paper towels.
- Use your hands to rub on the outside of a whole turkey and use in your favorite turkey recipe – we love our Herb Butter Turkey!
Notes
- Dairy Free: simply use a plant-based butter.
- Double Batch: a larger turkey might require a double batch.
- Make Ahead: this can easily be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days until ready to use. For best results, let it come to room temperature before spreading on the turkey.
- Freezer: can also be stored in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Lori says
This was a great rub for the turkey! Loved it!
Erin Jensen says
Thanks, Lori!