Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Herb Butter Thanksgiving Turkey

A dry-brined bird with a compound herb butter worked under the skin, then glazed repeatedly with a maple-sherry reduction until the skin turns deep mahogany. It’s a labour of love, and it shows.

Serves 8–10 · 40 min active · 3–4 hrs roast · 24 hr dry brine

Made by Notorious Foodie

Ingredients

Ingredients:

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•   1 Turkey
•   1 tbsp Brown Sugar
•   350 g unsalted butter
•   2 tbsp fresh rosemary
•   2 tbsp fresh thyme
•   2 tbsp fresh sage
•   2 tbsp fresh parsley
•   lemon
•   3 cloves garlic
•   2 tbsp maple syrup
•   50 ml sherry vinegar
•   1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
•   1 tsp dark soy sauce
•   orange peel
•   2 tbsp rosemary
•   thyme

Ingredients are subject to availability at local stores. Unavailable items will be automatically substituted at best-effort.

Start the dry brine the day before you plan to roast.

Directions

The day before — dry brine

1. Mix the brine: Combine 3 parts sea salt to 1 part brown sugar — roughly 3 tbsp salt to 1 tbsp sugar for a 10–12 lb bird.
2. Season and chill: Pat the turkey dry and rub the brine all over, inside and out. Leave it uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours.

Make the herb butter

1. Combine: Mash the softened butter with the rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper until evenly mixed and spreadable.
2. Loosen the skin: Take the turkey out of the fridge about 3 hours before cooking, pat it dry, and gently work your fingers between the breast skin and the meat without tearing it.
3. Apply: Smear a generous layer of the herb butter directly onto the breast meat under the skin, then rub the rest all over the outside of the bird.

Make the maple glaze

1. Simmer: Combine the maple syrup, sherry vinegar, Worcestershire, dark soy, orange peel, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and butter in a small pan.
2. Reduce: Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce for about 7 minutes, then strain and set aside.

Roast and glaze

1. Start high: Preheat the oven to 185°C (365°F). Brush the turkey with a little olive oil and set it in a roasting tray with 100 ml of water in the bottom.
2. Glaze in stages: After 30 minutes, pull the bird out and brush it all over with the glaze. Rotate the tray and return it to the oven. Repeat every 20–30 minutes, glazing and rotating each time — the colour builds with every coat.
3. Pull at temperature: When the breast reads 150–155°F, remove the turkey and drain the juices into the tray. Rest for at least 1½ hours before carving.
4. Carve: Remove the legs and thighs first, then the breasts, and plate with the pan juices spooned over.

Make-ahead: The dry brine and the herb butter can both be prepped the day before. The glaze can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge — warm it gently before brushing.