This rotisserie turkey is the Ferrari of turkeys. Its the king/queen of all turkeys. Once you try it, youll know what I am talking about. Every part of the bird’s meat is cooked to perfection, with the breast meat being especially juicy, buttery-tender, and flavorful from the inside out. The skin is unbelievably crispy and delicious. And the tantalizing garlic and herb flavor will blow your mind. Your neighbors will be drooling while you are cooking it.
I used to brine whole turkeys in order to keep the meat moist, but after trying injecting them with butter infused with herbs and garlic, my approach changed. It was a revelation! Brining works great for turkey meat until you try this method. Once you do, there is no going back. I think the results are better, it takes a lot less prep work, and it’s much faster than brining. You get a tastier and juicier turkey much faster. I now use this technique for all of my turkey recipes, such as oven-roasted turkey, roasted turkey breast, etc. Isn’t that the goal?
Are you looking for a delicious and easy way to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving? Look no further than this rotisserie herb butter turkey recipe! This recipe is perfect for beginners and experienced cooks alike, and it will surely impress your guests.
Ingredients:
- 13-15 lb turkey
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 heaping tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1 heaping tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 heaping tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 heaping tablespoon fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 apples, sliced into large chunks
- 1 onion, sliced into large chunks
- 4-5 cloves garlic, smashed
- Handful of various fresh herbs
Instructions:
- Prepare your grill with a rotisserie attachment. Preheat a 3 burner grill on high.
- Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey, rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix the butter and chopped fresh herbs with the salt, pepper, and paprika until well combined. Gently work your fingers under the skin of the turkey breast and legs. Work 3/4 of the herbed butter evenly under the skin, then rub the top of the skin with the rest of the herb butter mix. Season with more kosher salt and pepper.
- Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the chopped apple, onion and smashed garlic then add the herbs. Tie the wings to the sides of the turkey with twine. Insert the rod of the rotisserie attachment through the middle of the turkey stem to stern. Then, attach the forks so they firmly hold and tighten the wing nuts tight so the turkey doesn’t shift during cooking.
- Place the rotisserie attachment with the turkey on the grill and cook for 10 minutes, then turn the center burner off and outer burners to low for indirect heat. If this is your first time cooking on a rotisserie, you’ll want to test the internal temperature of the turkey as it cooks and adjust cooking temperatures of the grill burners so it cooks evenly (so the middle isn’t cooking faster than the outsides, etc.).
- Cook the turkey 15 minutes per pound. Always check the internal temperature of the turkey in the thigh without touching the bone or rotisserie rod for a finished cooking temperature of 10 degrees less than the temperature you feel safe for cooking (we go for 155°F) and juices run clear. Suggested final temperature for poultry is 165°F, but remember, it will continue to cook as it rests. Remove from the grill, tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 15 minutes or so until the temperature registers 165° F. If it doesn’t come to temperature, pop in the oven at 350°F or on the grill to finish cooking to temperature.
Tips:
- When using a rotisserie on the grill, be aware of your rotisserie’s weight limitations. My Saber Grill rotisserie accessory can only hold up to a 20 lb bird, so feeding a college football team with this version of a turkey won’t be in your cards.
- I don’t recommend stuffing this bird with dressing or stuffing because it will lengthen the cooking time because it restricts the airflow in the turkey, and by the time the dense stuffing is heated through your turkey will be overcooked. This is just my humble opinion, so if you want to give it a try, let me know how it goes.
- The biggest thing with using a rotisserie is one word: BALANCE. Make sure the rod goes through the turkey evenly and the forks of sit evenly too. Make sure the wing nuts that tighten the forks are exactly that — tight! Otherwise, you may lose an end as the bird spins. You may need to wiggle and jiggle a bit to get the turkey tightly into place, so don’t feel like you have to make the love connection on the first try.
- Use homemade stock for your gravy. The only drawback to preparing a turkey this way is no drippings for gravy. But homemade chicken stock worked a-okay. It’s the price I paid for a beautiful bird.
Additional Resources:
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What kind of turkey should I use?
You can use any type of turkey for this recipe, but I recommend using a fresh turkey for the best flavor.
- How long do I cook the turkey for?
The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the turkey. In general, I recommend cooking the turkey for 15 minutes per pound.
- What should I serve with the turkey?
This turkey is delicious served with all of your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy.
- Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes, you can make this recipe ahead of time. Simply cook the turkey according to the instructions, then let it cool completely. Once it is cool, you can wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Garlic and herb butter
This is what makes this rotisserie turkey so awesome. It only takes five minutes to make infused garlic and herb butter; simply combine melted butter with a little bit of salt, pepper, and herb infusion. But you absolutely must use fresh herbs. Dried herbs will not give you the same results! Only fresh!.
Which herbs to use is an excellent question. Ive tried many, and the ones I absolutely love are sage and rosemary. They are so aromatic! I also add parsley. Sometimes, I use cilantro when I have it on hand.
My method for making rotisserie turkey
First and foremost, I spatchcock the turkey. This way, the turkey cooks a bit faster and more evenly. I also like how it crisps up on both sides this way. Sure, its harder to cook a spatchcocked turkey, but its doable. If your rotisserie setup cant accommodate this, skip spatchcocking and rotisserie your bird as is. You will still get excellent results.
Next, I lift the breast and thigh skin, creating pockets (see the video below). Using a kitchen meat injector, I inject the meat under the lifted skin with the infused butter, then fill the pockets with the strained garlic and herb mixture.
It hasn’t happened that my fear—that butter would seep out while cooking and lead to flare-ups and excessive smoking—has come true. This, I think, is because I injected the mixture of garlic and herbs under the skin, covering the entry points.
Lastly, I cook the turkey in my Big Green Egg with a Joetisserie over direct heat at about 300 degrees. This setup is just big enough to accommodate a 12-lb spatchcocked turkey. It shouldn’t matter if your rotisserie has a heat source on the side rather than the bottom like mine does.
The bird is done when the legs and wings reach 185–190F and the breast meat reaches between 160 and 165F.
This rotisserie turkey is an eye candy. You’ll be incredibly tempted to start tearing pieces off of it and eating them right away as soon as you take it off the grill. I dont blame you. But let the bird rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting it up. Let those meat fibers relax again and re-absorb some of the juices.
