# The Only Turkey Recipe You Need

This recipe shows how to make the most flavorful turkey by using a dry brine and a special compound butter.

- Total time: 240 min
- Cuisine: American
- Category: Soup
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 12 pound turkey
- kosher salt
- sage
- thyme
- rosemary
- garlic
- 2 sticks butter
- honey
- 1 scoop hot pepper paste
- black pepper
- chili powder
- paprika
- onion powder
- orange zest
- lemon zest

## Instructions

1. Take a 12-pound turkey.
2. Season the turkey with kosher salt, thoroughly getting into crevices like the cavity and under the wings.
3. Place the turkey on a sheet tray with a rack and refrigerate overnight for a dry brine.
4. In a food processor, add sage, thyme, rosemary, and garlic.
5. Pulse the herbs and garlic.
6. Add sticks of butter, a drizzle of honey, and a scoop of hot pepper paste to the food processor.
7. Season with black pepper, chili powder, paprika, and onion powder.
8. Grate the zest of an orange and a lemon into the food processor.
9. Blend all ingredients in the food processor to create a compound butter.
10. Remove the turkey from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.
11. Gently slide your hand under the turkey skin to separate the meat from the skin.
12. Slide the compound butter under the skin and then smother the entire bird with it.
13. Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or use a smoker at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
14. Cook for approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound of bird until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. For this 12-pound bird, it took about 4 hours.

## Equipment

- sheet tray
- rack
- food processor
- grater
- oven
- smoker

## Tips

- For a flavorful turkey, use a dry brine.
- The internal temperature of the breast should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

## Source

- Original video: https://youtube.com/shorts/qRKM614WzOM?si=OAUSV7YQ2a_Ag3Ax
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/c9556fe2-4d4b-4211-82fc-5fd055c7c484
- Extracted: 2025-11-04

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt