This Christmas Turkey recipe will make a beautiful and delicious main dish for your holiday dinner! A whole turkey is stuffed with a mixture of garlic, onions, fresh herbs, and blood oranges, coated in a flavorful compound butter, and roasted to perfection. It’s easy to make, and a great dish for your Christmas feast.
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Why We Love This Christmas Turkey Recipe
- Juicy. This turkey is rubbed in compound butter and smothered in a rich and creamy turkey gravy to keep it super moist.
- Flavorful. Oranges, onions, garlic, and fresh herbs make this turkey mouthwateringly good.
- Festive. Blood oranges and rosemary are the perfect additions for a bit of Christmas cheer!
Variations on Christmas Turkey Dinner
Feel free to season this turkey however you like. I love the compound butter in this recipe, but you could also mix the butter with my favorite turkey rub for a slightly different flavor.
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How to Store and Reheat
To store leftover Christmas turkey, first remove all of the meat from the bones. Place the meat in airtight containers or resealable bags. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave, or covered with foil in a 300°F oven for 20-30 minutes.
How to Freeze
Freeze Christmas turkey in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. I do not recommend freezing turkey whole; always cut it into portions first.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this festive holiday turkey with classic sides, like dinner rolls, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and roasted vegetables. End the night with some sticky toffee pudding or chocolate cream pie!
It sure is! It tends to be more common in Great Britain, but anyone can enjoy this tasty dinner.
Plan to buy your turkey as close to Christmas as possible. But keep in mind that if the turkey is frozen, you’ll need to allow time for it to thaw. Follow this time chart for defrosting turkey.
Plan to buy 1 pound of turkey per person!
This turkey takes about 10-12 minutes per pound at 400°F. Grab this turkey roasting chart to help you plan cooking times.
I recommend cooking your turkey uncovered for the crispiest skin.
I like to rub my turkey with compound butter to help keep it moist. Plus, I add chicken stock to the roasting pan after 30 minutes to add steam. Finally, I recommend basting the turkey in its juices occasionally as it cooks.
More Holiday Turkey Recipes To Try
Christmas Turkey Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Turkey
- 12 pound whole turkey
- 2 blood oranges halved
- 1 yellow onion cut into quarters
- 1 head garlic halved
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh sage
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Turkey gravy optional, for serving (click for recipe)
For the Compound Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (2 sticks)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon blood orange zest (from 1 orange)
Optional Garnishes
- Blood orange wedges
- Rosemary sprigs
- Pomegranate arils
Recommended Equipment
- Roasting Pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place your turkey on a roasting pan. Pat the skin dry.12 pound whole turkey
- Stuff the cavity with the oranges, onion, garlic, rosemary, and sage.2 blood oranges, 1 yellow onion, 1 head garlic, 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, 2 sprigs fresh sage
- Make the compound butter: In a medium bowl, mash the butter with a fork. Add in the remaining compound butter ingredients and stir until smooth.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage, 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon blood orange zest
- Loosen the skin on the turkey breast. Spread half of the butter mixture under the skin. Rub the remaining half of the mixture all over the turkey.
- Roast the turkey for 30 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock to the bottom of the roasting pan and roast for another 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 45 minutes, until the turkey reaches 165°F, basting occasionally during the cooking time.2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Remove from the oven and set the turkey aside onto a cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest for 15-20 minutes.
- While the turkey rests, use the pan drippings to make the gravy.Turkey gravy
- Serve turkey with garnishes and gravy.Blood orange wedges, Rosemary sprigs, Pomegranate arils
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Plan on 1 pound of turkey per person.
- You can use regular oranges in place of blood oranges.
- You can use thyme in place of the rosemary or sage.
- Roast breast side down.
- Check the turkey throughout the cook time, to be sure it’s not cooking or browning too quickly.
- Use an instant read thermometer. This will ensure that you don’t overcook your Thanksgiving turkey. It should register at 160-165°F when inserted into the middle of the breast and thigh.
- Let it rest! When the turkey is ready to come out of the oven, cover it loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute and not escape when it is carved.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition Information
How to Make Christmas Turkey Step by Step
Prep the Turkey: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place a 12-pound whole turkey on a roasting pan. Pat the skin dry and stuff the cavity with 2 halved blood oranges, 1 quartered yellow onion, 1 halved head of garlic, 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, and 2 sprigs of fresh sage.
Make the Compound Butter: In a medium bowl, mash 1 cup of unsalted butter with a fork. Add in 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon of minced fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon of minced fresh sage, 4 cloves of minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon of blood orange zest and stir until smooth. Loosen the skin on the turkey breast.
Butter the Turkey: Spread half of the butter mixture under the skin. Rub the remaining half of the mixture all over the turkey. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes.
Roast the Turkey: Add 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth to the bottom of the roasting pan and roast for another 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 45 minutes, until the turkey reaches 165°F, basting occasionally during the cooking time.
Rest the Turkey: Remove the turkey from the oven and set it aside onto a cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest for 15-20 minutes.
Make the Gravy: While the turkey rests, use the pan drippings to make the gravy. Serve turkey with garnishes and gravy.
