This roast turkey recipe with fresh sage and orange zest is the perfect holiday meal centerpiece. It's seasoned perfectly with a simple dry brine, then roasted with herbs, aromatics, and citrus until tender and juicy.
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Does roasting a whole turkey sometimes feel like a big task? With this holiday turkey recipe, it doesn't have to.
Roasted turkey gets a bad wrap. Can it be boring and bland? Absolutely. Is this recipe like that? Heck no. This turkey recipe is all about flavor, starting with the sage brine that stays on for 3 days, then you stuff the turkey and the roasting pan with all the aromatics, plus adding orange to the pan to infuse more flavor.
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📖Why My Recipe Works
- Flavorful Sage Butter. This recipe uses citrus zest and fresh herbs along with kosher salt and loads of butter for a golden skin.
- Minimal prep. A dry brine turkey keeps the dirty dish count low and the whole thing takes next to no time to prepare. Win!
- Juicy Meat. This recipe results in a juicy bite, but the flavor of the turkey drippings makes the best gravy!
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Turkey- I use a 15-pound turkey for this recipe, so the amounts needed are designed for that. If you use a smaller or larger bird, then adjust the amounts accordingly. I have a detailed list of tips for choosing a turkey if you are feeling intimidated.
- Aromatics - Use garlic, white or yellow onion, carrot, and celery.
- Unsalted Butter - Rubbing the turkey with melted butter adds moisture and flavor and helps the skin get golden and crispy. You can substitute vegan butter to make this recipe dairy free.
- Dry White Wine - If you don't have white wine, chicken broth will work too.
- Orange Juice - I use freshly squeezed orange juice from the oranges that
- Sage - We're using sage already in the brine, but I like to add a couple of extra sprigs to add more herb-y flavor.
- Dry Brine - we're making a super simple dry brine made with kosher salt, brown sugar, fresh thyme, fresh sage, orange zest (or use lemon zest), and black pepper
🧂 Why Brine Matters
Turkey dries out easily, which is why brining is essential for juicy, flavorful meat. There are two methods and both yield delicious results depending on your timeline and preferences.
- Wet brine: Submerge the turkey in a mix of water, salt, sugar, and herbs. This classic method is quick and perfect for recipes like my roasted turkey breast.
- Dry brine: Coat the turkey in salt and let it sit uncovered in the fridge. It takes longer but seasons and brines in one step while creating crispy, golden skin.
I prefer the dry brine for whole turkeys because it's less messy, easier to manage, and delivers a flavorful, perfectly textured turkey every time.
⏲️How to Make Sage Butter Turkey
Brine the Turkey
Sprinkle the brine mixture into the cavity, under, and over the skin. Rub it all over, then bend the wings back, tuck them under the breast, and set the turkey uncovered into the refrigerator. Let it brine for 1-3 days.
Roast the Turkey
Brush both sides of the turkey with melted butter, then add it to the roasting pan breast side down. Add the veggies, garlic, and herbs to the pan, truss the turkey if desired, then pour the orange juice and white wine into the roasting pan. Turn the oven temp down after 45 minutes.
Rest and Carve
Once the turkey reaches 165°F degrees. Remove from the oven, let rest for 20 minutes. This will allow the turkey to come to a higher temperature while sealing in the juices. I prefer to carve the turkey in the kitchen and serve it on a platter.
Make the Gravy
Transfer the drippings and stock to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a gentle boil and reduce by about 25%. Make a cornstarch slurry. Whisk into the simmering gravy and cook 30-60 seconds until thickened.
🥗What to Serve with Roast Turkey
A few of my favorites include Boursin Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Gluten-Free Crescent Rolls, and our Modern Green Bean Casserole. And of course, the best homemade turkey gravy.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Don't skip the brine! It's what gives the turkey its delicious flavor and texture.
- Make the brine in a spice grinder or mini food processor.
- Do not rinse off the brine before brushing on the butter. This is your sage butter!
- Do not brine kosher turkeys. They are typically brined during the packaging process.
- Avoid basted and self-basting turkeys because they are injected with a solution that is intended to retain moisture. Your turkey may be too salty if brined.
- Bring the turkey to room temperature. I recommend setting it out for 1 hour on the counter before roasting. Room temperature meat cooks more evenly.
- The dry brined turkey will be slightly green because of the sgae rub. This is normal!
- Truss the turkey. This closes the breast cavity and prevents the bird from drying out as it cooks.
- Check the temperature. As always, it's important to make sure that the internal temperature is high enough before serving. To check the temp, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey. It should be 165ºF.
- Let the meat rest for 20 minutes before slicing. This gives the moisture and flavor time to redistribute back into the meat
Recipes to Use Leftover Turkey
🌡️Storage and Food Safety
Storage
After roasting, carve the turkey into smaller pieces and store them in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. When reheating, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then warm in a foil-covered dish at 300ºF with a splash of broth to keep the meat moist.
Food Safety
Always check the temperature - the thickest part of the turkey should reach 165ºF (74ºC) before serving. Use a meat thermometer to confirm doneness.
Clean thoroughly after handling raw poultry, including your hands, knives, and cutting boards.
Don't leave cooked turkey out for more than 2 hours. Once the meal is over, let it cool slightly, then carve and store promptly.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Sage Roasted Turkey with Citrus
Ingredients
- 15 pound turkey
- 1 large white onion cut into chunks
- 2 large carrots cut into chunks
- 2 stalks celery cut into chunks
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 2 oranges juice only
- 1 head garlic top ⅓ cut off
- extra sprigs of fresh sage
Dry Brine
- 3 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme rougly chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh sage roughly chopped
- 2 oranges zest only
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Dry Brine the Turkey
- Place all the ingredients in a small food processor and pulse several times. The salt mixture will be a light green.3 Tablespoons kosher salt, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, 2 Tablespoons fresh sage, 2 oranges, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Remove the turkey from the wrapping and place the turkey on a clean roasting pan aor large baking sheet. Remove the giblets and neck from inside the cavity. You can discard or save for another use. Remove or discard any plastic or metal cages. Pat the turkey dry, inside and out, using paper towels.15 pound turkey
- Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the salt mixture into the cavity of the turkey and rub it in. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and meaty part of the legs. Rub 4 teaspoons of the salt mixture into the meat of but under the skin. Then sprinkle the remaining salt mixture over all the outside of the turkey. Rubbing it into the skin.
- Bend the wings back and tuck under the breast. Place the turkey breast side up uncovered into the refrigerator for at least 1 day up to 3 days.
Roast the Turkey
- Allow the turkey to sit at room temperature for one hour before roasting. Preheat hte oven to 425 F degrees.
- Place the rack in your roasting pan. Brush the turkey on both sides with the melted butter. Add the turkey to the pan breast side down.½ cup unsalted butter
- Place the vegetables, garlic, and herbs around the side of the turkey. You can add some inside the cavity if you like. Truss the turkey if you like. Pour in the orange juice and white wine.1 large white onion, 2 large carrots, 2 stalks celery, 2 oranges, 1 head garlic, extra sprigs of fresh sage, ½ cup dry white wine
- Roast for 45 minutes. Remove the turkey from the oven and carefully flip it breast side up. Baste with the pan juices. Return to the oven and reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Cook the turkey until it reaches the temp of 165º for the breast and 175º for the thighs. The meat will rise an additional 10º continuing to cook as it rests. Plan on 13 to 15 minutes per pound for the total time. If your turkey isn't producing enough juices you can add water or broth to prevent the bottom from burning.
- Remove from the oven and allow the turkey to rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
Video
Notes
- The quantities for brining the turkey are for a 15 pound bird. Adjust accordingly.
- You can brine a partially frozen turkey but it may be hard to loosen the skin properly.
- You must use kosher salt, not table salt.
- Do not brine kosher or self basting turkey. They were brined before packaging.
- Add additional water to stock if all the liquid evaporates from the bottom of the pan.
- Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders to lock them into place.
- Cross the t ends of the drumsticks one over the other.
- Wrap twine around them and make a regular (overhand) knot to secure them.
Nutrition
Common Recipe Questions
Uncovered! Exposing the turkey to the heat is what gives it that delicious crispy skin. If you do notice the outside of the bird burning or drying out too much as it roasts, cover with foil and continue roasting until cooked through.
That depends on the size of the turkey! My rule of thumb is 13-15 minutes per pound, so calculate accordingly.
You'll actually roast your turkey at a couple of temperatures: 425ºF for 45 minutes, then 350ºF until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. The initial cook time at high heat allows the skin to get nice and crispy. The longer roasting time at a lower temp cooks the bird all the way through and results in that juicy, tender texture.
Katy says
This was my first time dry brining a turkey. This recipe was easy to follow and absolutely delicious! The turkey turned out moist and flavorful. All of my Thanksgiving guests loved it.
Jen Wooster says
So glad you enjoyed!
Paul sn. says
It was delicious and juicy