Best Turkey Butter Recipe

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Keyword: compound butter for turkey, garlic herb butter, herb butter, turkey butter

Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 10

Servings: cups

Calories: 1760kcal

Author: Jessica Formicola

Garlic-herb turkey butter in 10 minutes. Slide under the skin for juicy meat and crispy skin. Make-ahead, flavor variations, and pro tips for stress-free roasting.

Print Recipe

Equipment

Food Processor

Ingredients

3-4 cloves fresh garlic , coarsely chopped
1 lemon , zested and juiced
1 tablespoon fresh sage , roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh flat parsley , roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary , roughly chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter , room temperature

Instructions

In the food processor, combine the chopped 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, 1 lemon zested and juiced, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh sage, 1 tablespoon fresh flat parsley, 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, and 1 teaspoon ground white pepper. Pulse until the herbs start to chop further.
Add the room temperature and chopped 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter to the food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
Scrape out of the food processor and use immediately or cover and chill until to use.
If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Notes

This recipe makes approximately 13 tablespoons of compound butter. This is approximately how much you'll need for each type of turkey.

If you don't have a food processor, feel free to finely minced the herbs and grate the garlic, then mash it all together using a fork.

Whole turkeys (8-14 lb): ~1 Tbsp per pound
Small birds/parts (breasts, 2-7 lb): ~1–1¼ Tbsp per pound (less mass → more surface area to cover)
Large birds (15-20 lb+): ~¾–1 Tbsp per pound (you don’t need as much per lb)

Roast a Turkey Breast (bone-in)

Preheat: 350°F. Rack in a roasting pan.
Position: Breast-side up (skin up).
Season: Pat dry (the butter will stick better) and rub with compound butter under the skin and over the skin.
Roast time: ~18–22 minutes per pound.
Start checking early.
Target temps: Pull when breast hits 160°F; carryover will reach 165°F.
Rest: 15–20 minutes before slicing (juicier slices).

Notes: Tent with foil if skin browns too fast. Boneless breasts often cook a bit quicker- start checking at ~16 min/lb.

Roast a Whole Turkey (unstuffed)

Preheat: 325°F. Rack in a roasting pan.
Position: Breast-side up (legs/thighs down, cavity opening facing you).
Season: Pat dry (the butter will stick better) and rub butter under the skin and over the skin.
Roast time: ~13–15 minutes per pound (unstuffed).
Stuffed turkeys run ~15–17 min/lb; I recommend dressing baked separately for food safety + crispier skin.
Target temps: Pull when breast is 160–165°F and thigh is 170–175°F using an instant read digital thermometer.
Rest: 30 minutes before carving (tent loosely with foil) to redistribute juices.

Pro tips:

Rotate the pan once halfway through for even browning.
If the breast is getting too dark before the thighs are done, tent the breast with foil.

Nutrition