Sage & Orange Butter Roasted Turkey
Well hello there friends, another beautiful turkey this year! we're going to make a Sage and Orange Butter Turkey. Simply amazing, we are going to put sage butter under the skin and stuff the turkey with oranges and onions. The combination of the butter and juices from the oranges are going to make this turkey moist and succulent. You’re going to love this turkey!
Recipe Video
Recipe Ingredients
Prepare the Turkey:
- 1 15 to 20 pound Turkey, You’ll need about 1 ½ pound per person
- 1 Granny Smith Apple, cut into chunks
- 1 large Yellow Onion, cut into chunks
- 2 to 3 sprigs fresh Sage and Thyme
- 2 large Orange, cut into chunks
- ¾ pound room temperature Butter
Sage & Orange Butter:
- ½ pound room temperature Butter
- 2 tablespoons Sage chopped
- 2 teaspoon Orange peel
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Recipe Instructions
For the Turkey:
Preheat Oven to 325°
The turkey should be left outside of the fridge at least one hour before starting.
- Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Season the inside with salt and pepper. Stuff the inside of the bird with the apples, onion, fresh herbs and oranges.
- Carefully release the legs is they are attached together with the skin. Carefully slide your hand between the breast meat and the skin top separate MAKING SURE NOT TO BREAK THE SKIN. Rub the inside on the breast of the bird with the sage butter.
- Re-tie the legs together to hold the shape of the turkey. If you break the skin that is holding the legs together be sure to tie them back with butcher twine. GENEROUSLY Rub the entire outside of the turkey with the butter.
- Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Cover for the first hour with an aluminum paper. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 155 degrees. The juice should come out clear. For a 15-pound turkey, bake for approximately 3 hours. Remove turkey from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Wait 30 minutes before carving.
For the Sage & Orange Butter:
- To prepare the butter mix all ingredients in a glass bowl.
Pro-Tips
For the Cutting Board: click here
For the In-Oven Thermometer: click here
For the Boning Knife: click here
For the Slicing Knife: click here
For the Cooking Twine: click here
As a general rule, for convection cooking, reduce the temperature by 25ºF and the cooking time by approximately 10 to 15%.
Cooking in a Regular Oven at 325ºF
Cooking in a Convection Oven at 325ºF
No matter what the schedule above is displaying. Be sure to check the temperature of your bird at least 1 hour before the final cooking time to make sure that you are at least 90% of the desired temperature.
For example if you are cooking a 20 lbs bird in a regular oven and the cooking time is expected to be 3 ½ to 4 hours. After 2 ½ hours your turkey inside temperature should be about 135. Another hour should bring to your desire 155 to 165.
DOUBLE CHECK YOUR TEMPERATURE AS MANY TIMES AS IT IS NECESSARY AND NEVER COOK THE TURKEY OVER 165
| WEIGHT | COOKING TIME (UNSTUFFED) | COOKING TIME (STUFFED) |
| 6 - 7 POUNDS | 2 - 2 ½ HOURS | 2 ¼ - 2 ¾ HOURS |
| 7 - 10 POUNDS | 2 ½ - 3 HOURS | 2 ¾ - 3 ½ HOURS |
| 10 - 18 POUNDS | 3 - 3 ½ HOURS | 3 ¾ - 4 ½ HOURS |
| 18 - 22 POUNDS | 3 ½ - 4 HOURS | 4 ½ - 5 HOURS |
| 22 - 24 POUNDS | 4 - 4 ½ HOURS | 5 - 5 ½ HOURS |
| 24 - 30 POUNDS | 4 ½ - 5 HOURS | 5 ½ - 6 ¼ HOURS |
| WEIGHT | COOKING TIME (UNSTUFFED) | COOKING TIME (STUFFED) |
| 6 - 10 POUNDS | 1 ½ - 2 HOURS | 1 ¾ - 2 ½ HOURS |
| 10 - 18 POUNDS | 2 - 2 ½ HOURS | 2 ½ - 3 ¼ HOURS |
| 18 - 22 POUNDS | 2 ½ - 3 HOURS | 3 ¼ - 3 ¾ HOURS |
| 22 - 24 POUNDS | 3 – 3 ½ HOURS | 3 ¾ - 4 ½ HOURS |