Directions
- 1Grab healthy amounts of kosher salt and hit every single crevice of the 12-pound turkey, including the cavity and under the wings.
- 2Place the turkey onto a sheet tray with a rack and into the fridge overnight for a dry brine.
- 3In a food processor, drop in sage, thyme, and rosemary.
- 4Give the herbs a quick pulse.
- 5Drop in a few sticks of butter, a quick drizzle of honey, a scoop of hot pepper paste.
- 6Season with black pepper, chili powder, paprika, and onion powder.
- 7Add the zest of an orange and a lemon.
- 8Blend all ingredients together to make the compound butter.
- 9Pull out your turkey and allow it to come to temperature.
- 10Gently slide your hand in to separate the meat from the skin.
- 11Start grabbing your butter and slide it under the skin.
- 12Smother the entire bird with the compound butter under the skin.
- 13Set your oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 14Cook the turkey roughly 15 to 20 minutes per pound of bird until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 15Alternatively, toss the turkey into a smoker at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ingredients
- 12 pound turkey
- kosher salt
- 0.25 cup fresh sage leaves
- 2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 sticks softened butter
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 0.25 cup hot pepper paste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
- 2 Tbsp orange zest (from about 1 orange)
Equipment
food processorsheet trayrackovensmoker
Tips
- Use a dry brine for the turkey overnight.
- Gently slide your hand under the skin to separate the meat from the skin before applying butter.
- The internal temperature of the breast should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
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