Roasted Turkey with Celery-Onion-Garlic Compound Butter

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 10–12 servings
• Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 12–24 hours optional dry brine)
• Cook Time: 3 hours
• Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes (active)

Quick Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey (10–12 lb), thawed
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup very finely minced celery (plus extra stalks for pan and cavity)
• 1/2 cup very finely minced yellow onion (plus extra wedges for pan and cavity)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced (plus a few whole cloves for pan and cavity)
• 2 tsp kosher salt + extra for seasoning, 1–1 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, 1 tbsp fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning (or dried sage and thyme)
• 2–3 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
• 1 carrot, 1 tbsp olive oil or butter (for roasting pan)

Do This

• 1) Pat turkey dry. If possible, dry-brine by rubbing 2–3 tsp kosher salt all over and refrigerating uncovered 12–24 hours.
• 2) Mix softened butter with minced celery, onion, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning to make compound butter.
• 3) Preheat oven to 425°F. Stuff turkey cavity with celery, onion, carrot, garlic, and bay leaves. Tuck wings and tie legs if desired.
• 4) Loosen skin over breasts and thighs. Rub half the compound butter under the skin and the rest over the entire surface.
• 5) Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan over celery, onion, carrot, garlic, and 2 cups broth. Roast 30 minutes at 425°F.
• 6) Reduce oven to 325°F. Roast 2–2 1/2 hours more, adding broth as needed and tenting loosely with foil if browning too fast, until 165°F in the thickest parts.
• 7) Rest 20–30 minutes before carving. Use pan juices and vegetables to make a simple gravy, then serve.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It tastes like your favorite classic chicken (or turkey) soup, but in a beautifully roasted holiday centerpiece.
• The celery-onion-garlic compound butter keeps the meat incredibly juicy while infusing it with cozy, nostalgic flavor.
• Everything roasts together in one pan, giving you rich, soup-like drippings that make fantastic gravy.
• The method is straightforward and forgiving, perfect for both first-time and seasoned turkey roasters.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 whole turkey (fresh or thawed frozen), celery, yellow onions, garlic, carrot, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, lemon (optional for brightness), bay leaves.
• Dairy: Unsalted butter (2–3 sticks), optional heavy cream for gravy.
• Pantry: Kosher salt, black pepper, poultry seasoning (or dried sage and thyme), olive oil, low-sodium chicken or turkey broth, all-purpose flour, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce (optional for gravy).

Full Ingredients

For the Turkey

• 1 whole turkey, 10–12 lb, completely thawed
• 2–3 tsp kosher salt (for dry brine; see directions)
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Celery–Onion–Garlic Compound Butter

• 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) unsalted butter, very soft but not melted
• 1 cup very finely minced celery (about 2 large stalks)
• 1/2 cup very finely minced yellow onion
• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
• 2 tsp kosher salt (reduce to 1 tsp if using salted butter)
• 1–1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning (or 1/2 tsp dried sage + 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder or base (optional, for extra “soup” flavor)
• 1 tsp lemon zest (optional, for a gentle brightness)

For the Turkey Cavity Aromatics

• 1 small yellow onion, quartered
• 1 medium carrot, cut into 3–4 chunks
• 1 large celery stalk, cut into 3–4 chunks
• 4 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)

For the Roasting Pan

• 2 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into thick wedges
• 1 large carrot, cut into large chunks
• 4 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp olive oil or melted butter
• 2–3 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth (start with 2 cups, add more as needed)

Optional Simple Gravy

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2–3 cups combined pan drippings and low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
• 1–2 tsp soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce (optional, for depth)
• 2–3 tbsp heavy cream (optional, for richness)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Thaw and Dry-Brine the Turkey

If your turkey is frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator, allowing about 24 hours per 4–5 lb of turkey. A 10–12 lb bird usually needs 2–3 days in the fridge.

For the juiciest, most flavorful meat, dry-brine the turkey 12–24 hours before roasting: remove any giblets and neck from the cavity, then pat the turkey very dry with paper towels, inside and out. Sprinkle 2–3 tsp kosher salt evenly over the entire surface of the turkey, including a small pinch inside the cavity. Place the turkey on a rack set over a rimmed sheet pan, breast side up, and refrigerate uncovered. This seasons the meat and helps the skin crisp beautifully.

If you do not have time to dry-brine, simply salt the turkey just before you apply the compound butter and proceed with the recipe.

Step 2: Make the Celery–Onion–Garlic Compound Butter

About 1 hour before roasting, make the compound butter. In a medium bowl, combine the softened butter, very finely minced celery, minced onion, minced garlic, parsley, thyme, kosher salt, black pepper, poultry seasoning, optional chicken bouillon powder, and optional lemon zest. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or spoon until everything is evenly distributed and the mixture is uniform.

Taste a tiny bit (remember it is salty and will be spread over a large turkey) and adjust seasoning with more pepper or herbs if desired. If the mixture feels too loose, refrigerate it for 10–15 minutes so it is spreadable but not runny.

Step 3: Prep the Turkey and Oven

Preheat your oven to 425°F with the rack in the lower-middle position. Lightly oil or butter your roasting pan.

Remove the turkey from the refrigerator. Pat it dry again with paper towels, especially the skin, to encourage crispness. Season the cavity with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity loosely with the onion quarters, carrot chunks, celery chunks, smashed garlic, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Do not pack it tightly; air should still circulate.

Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders so they do not burn. If you like a neater presentation, tie the legs together with kitchen twine, but it is not essential.

Step 4: Coat the Turkey with Compound Butter

Using clean hands, gently loosen the skin over the turkey breasts and the tops of the thighs: slide your fingers under the skin from the cavity end, being careful not to tear it, and create pockets between the skin and the meat.

Scoop up about half of the compound butter and push it under the skin, spreading it as evenly as you can over both breasts and into the thigh area. Use your fingers from the outside to massage and distribute it. Spread the remaining butter all over the outside of the turkey, including the legs and wings, coating every surface. It will look generous and a bit messy; that is perfect.

Place the turkey breast side up on a roasting rack set inside your roasting pan.

Step 5: Build a Soup-Style Roasting Bed

Around (not on top of) the turkey in the roasting pan, scatter the celery chunks, onion wedges, carrot chunks, and smashed garlic. Add the bay leaf. Drizzle the vegetables with the olive oil or melted butter and toss gently to coat. Pour 2 cups of chicken or turkey broth into the bottom of the pan, being careful not to wash off the butter from the turkey.

This mixture of celery, onion, garlic, carrot, herbs, and broth will perfume the turkey as it roasts and create drippings that taste like the base of a really good homemade soup, perfect for gravy or for spooning over slices of meat.

Step 6: Roast the Turkey to Golden and Juicy

Place the turkey in the preheated 425°F oven and roast for 30 minutes to start the browning. Do not open the oven during this time.

After 30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. If any spots are browning very quickly, you can lay a small piece of foil over just that area. Continue roasting for about 2–2 1/2 hours more, depending on the exact size of your bird. As a general guideline, plan for about 13–15 minutes per pound total roasting time.

Every 45 minutes or so, quickly open the oven and baste the turkey with the pan juices using a spoon or baster, and add more broth (about 1/2 cup at a time) if the pan looks dry. You want a shallow layer of liquid in the bottom to keep the vegetables from burning and to build flavorful drippings.

Begin checking the internal temperature about 45 minutes before you think it will be done. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and the thickest part of the thigh, without touching bone. The turkey is fully cooked when both areas reach 165°F. If the skin is as dark as you like before the meat is done, tent the turkey loosely with foil and continue roasting until it reaches temperature.

Step 7: Rest, Make Gravy, and Serve

When the turkey reaches 165°F in both the breast and thigh, remove it from the oven. Carefully lift the turkey (using sturdy tongs and a carving fork, or by grabbing the rack) and transfer it to a carving board or platter. Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for 20–30 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute, giving you moist slices instead of dry ones.

Meanwhile, make the gravy (if using). Strain the pan drippings through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup, pressing on the vegetables to extract all the flavorful juices. Skim off some of the fat if desired, or use it in place of some of the butter in your gravy.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tbsp butter. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1–2 minutes until it smells toasty but is not dark. Gradually whisk in 2–3 cups of the strained drippings and/or additional broth, stirring until smooth. Simmer 5–10 minutes until thickened to your liking. Stir in soy sauce or Worcestershire and cream, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Carve the rested turkey: remove the legs and thighs, separate drumsticks from thighs, then carve the breast meat into slices. Arrange on a warm platter and spoon some of the celery–onion–garlic flavored juices or gravy over the top. Serve with extra gravy on the side.

Pro Tips

• Dry-brine if you can. Even a 12-hour dry brine makes the turkey more flavorful and noticeably juicier, and it also helps the skin brown and crisp.
• Mince the vegetables very finely for the butter. The smaller the celery, onion, and garlic pieces, the better they will meld into the butter and the more evenly they will flavor the meat.
• Use a thermometer, not just time. Ovens vary, and the only reliable way to avoid overcooked turkey is to check for 165°F in both the breast and the thigh.
• Do not skip the rest period. Those 20–30 minutes of resting are key to juicy slices and also give you time to make gravy and finish side dishes.
• Adjust salt for bouillon and broth. If your bouillon or broth is salty, scale back the salt in the compound butter slightly and taste as you go.

Variations

• Herb-Lemon Soup Turkey: Increase the lemon zest to 2 tsp, add a few sprigs of rosemary to the cavity and roasting pan, and finish the gravy with a squeeze of fresh lemon for a brighter, herb-forward flavor.
• Garlic-Lover’s Version: Add an extra 3–4 cloves of minced garlic to the compound butter and roast a whole head of garlic (sliced in half horizontally) in the pan to mash into the gravy.
• Spatchcocked (Butterflied) Turkey: Have the backbone removed and butterfly the turkey so it lies flat. Spread the compound butter under and over the skin, then roast at 425°F for about 1 1/2–2 hours total. This gives you even faster, more even cooking.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Leftover turkey keeps well and stays flavorful. Once the turkey is completely cool, remove all meat from the bones. Store sliced or shredded turkey in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days, or freeze for up to 2–3 months. For easiest reheating, add a splash of chicken or turkey broth to the container and warm gently, covered, in a 300°F oven or on the stovetop until just heated through.

You can make the celery–onion–garlic compound butter up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it, or freeze it for up to 1 month. Bring it back to a spreadable consistency before using. You can also dry-brine the turkey 24–36 hours in advance, leaving it uncovered in the fridge until you are ready to roast.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for one serving (about 5 oz roasted turkey meat with skin and a modest amount of gravy): 520 calories; 42 g protein; 32 g fat; 10 g saturated fat; 6 g carbohydrates; 0 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 980 mg sodium. Actual values will vary based on the exact size of your turkey, how much skin and gravy you enjoy, and your specific ingredients.