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Prepare a showstopping entree for the holidays this year! Browned Butter Sage Turkey is a decadent twist on the classic roasted turkey. Brown butter in a pan with fresh sage, then slather a Honeysuckle White Fresh Whole Turkey with the sage browned butter. Bake until golden brown, and serve warm with homemade gravy and traditional sides! This turkey makes a flavorful entree for Thanksgiving or ANY holiday celebration!
Every year, my mom makes a classic roasted turkey for Thanksgiving. She seasons the turkey inside and outside, then spreads butter all over the bird. On top of the butter, she adds more seasoning and TONS of sage. Then she stuffs it with a traditional baguette stuffing.
This is the same kind of turkey my grandmother used to make for Thanksgiving every year. I know my aunts make a similar one at their houses, too.
So when I began thinking about Thanksgiving dishes to share with y’all this year, I wanted to take their classic recipe and give it a small twist.
That twist, of course, is browned butter.
Because WHY NOT?
Browned butter is one of my favorite things, and I wondered how it would taste on a turkey.
Spoiler alert: Really freaking delicious.
The butter, which is browned with fresh sage, permeates the turkey, and the sage can be tasted throughout the bird. The browned butter helps the skin crisp up beautifully and adds additional flavor to the meat.
Seriously, y’all. I’m drooling as I tell you about this because this was the juiciest turkey I’ve ever made.
The juiciness is because my turkey? Is a Honeysuckle White turkey. And you can pick up your own Honeysuckle White Fresh Whole Turkey for Thanksgiving at your local Kroger store.
I’m a big fan of the Honeysuckle White brand because they use no growth promoting hormones, nor added hormones or steroids. Additionally, their turkeys are raised by Independent Family Farmers, and the farming is USDA process certified.
Honeysuckle White is committed to customers knowing how their food is made and who is making it. The brand works closely with its farmers to ensure that high standards are being met.
While my turkey was shipped to me, I picked up the fresh sage and unsalted butter from my local Kroger store.
I found them both in the produce section. 🙂
You can find your local Kroger store here.
Now who’s ready for TURKEY?
Here’s how we do it:
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 20 fresh sage leaves
- 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
- 14.5 lb. Honeysuckle White Fresh Whole Turkey
- Sage Browned Butter (seen above), at room temperature
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ cups turkey drippings
- ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups chicken stock (plus additional stock should the gravy get too thick)
- In a skillet, heat the butter, sage and salt over medium heat.
- With a whisk or simply moving the pan over the burner, swirl the butter as it foams up and begins to heat.
- Watch carefully as brown bits begin forming at the bottom of the pan, and continue moving the butter. (This will ensure the browning bits of butter don’t burn.)
- When the brown bits begin smelling nutty and are plentiful, remove the skillet from the heat.
- Let the butter cool slightly, then set aside. (Refrigerate if you’re making this in advance.) Do not remove the sage. When you spread the butter on the turkey, it will crumble and add additional flavor.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Set aside a large roasting pan.
- Remove the Honeysuckle White Fresh Whole Turkey from its packaging. Pat dry with a paper towel. Place in the prepared roasting pan.
- Smear the Sage Browned Butter onto every surface of the turkey. Make sure to spread the butter beneath the skin and in the turkey’s cavities. When done with this, wash your hands vigorously beneath hot water.
- Season the entire turkey with freshly ground black pepper.
- Transfer the turkey into the preheated oven. It will remain uncovered for the entire time it bakes.
- Please note that turkeys of different sizes will require different times to cook. My turkey, which fell in the 14-18 lb. range, took about 3 hours and 45 minutes, when all was said and done. Please read the instructions included on your turkey to make sure you give your turkey enough time to bake.
- When you believe your turkey has cooked through, use a digital kitchen thermometer and check the turkey’s temperature. You want the meat of the turkey breast to be 165°F before you remove it from the oven.
- When the turkey reaches the desired temperature, remove from the oven, and immediately cover with aluminum foil.
- Transfer the turkey from the roasting pan to a platter, and let it rest for 15-20 minutes so the juices can settle into the meat.
- While the turkey cools, make the gravy!
- Pour the turkey drippings from the roasting pan into a liquid measuring cup.
- Place the roasting pan on the stove and warm over medium heat. Measure 1 ½ cups of the drippings back into the pan.
- Add the flour to drippings, and whisk until smooth. The mixture will begin to bubble, and at that point, add the chicken stock, whisking constantly.
- Lower the heat, and continue whisking. The gravy will begin thickening, and when it has reached the desired consistency, remove from the heat.
- If the gravy sits for a little while, it will thicken. If this happens, put it back on low heat and add a little more chicken stock.
- When the turkey has rested for the desired amount of time, carve with a sharp knife or a carving knife.
- Serve the turkey with the gravy and other side dishes, and enjoy warm!
This turkey looks AMAZING and now I am so sad I have two weeks until Thanksgiving. You killed it with this recipe! We’re having Thanksgiving at my grandmother’s this year but next year it’s my turn to host and I’ll be making sure to make this recipe! It looks so good!
Thank you, Madison! I wish you didn’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to eat turkey, but it’s not too far off now! And I hope that this turkey turns out as well for you next year as it did for us. We thoroughly enjoyed it!
You’re so much fancier with your turkey than I am. I need to step it up this year, it looks great and sounds great!
Pssh. It only *looks* fancy. And I’m sure your turkey is delicious!
What a GORGEOUS bird! I can’t wait for the turkey day!
Thanks, Anna! I cannot wait for Turkey Day, either!
This looks heavenly! I’m sharing with my husband (the “turkey cooker”) and look forward to enjoying this!
Thank you, Patricia! I hope you and your family enjoy this turkey!
This is one amaaazing turkey!! YUM!!
Thank you, Katerina! We were big fans of this turkey!
That is SUCH a gorgeous turkey and I love the addition of the browned butter!
Thanks, Kimberly! The browned butter adds such delicious flavor to this bird. 🙂
As if I wasn’t already excited to have Turkey!
I know, right?!?
What a gorgeous turkey! I love sage so much!
Thanks, Cathy! Sage is one of my favorites, too. It is such a flavorful addition to this turkey.
Turkey looks great. In the oven do you cook it with or without An aluminum tent. I’m sure it would turn out just as well in a roaster.
Thank you, Martha! I baked this without an aluminum tent the entire time. I only cover it once it comes out of the oven.
Wow! That looks scrumptious! Approximately how long is the “butter-browning” process? Thanks for sharing.
Hey Shirley! The butter-browning process took me about 5-10 minutes. It’ll be dependent on how hot the fire/burner is, as well as the fat content of the butter. Continually swirl it around the pan as it heats and begins browning, as you don’t want to burn it.
I have already purchased a Butter Ball turkey, do you think I can still use the same browned butter process?
Hey Tine! Yes, you can still use the same browned butter process with a different brand of turkey. 🙂
Can you use ground sage?
Hey Cynthia. I don’t suggest ground sage for this recipe. The fresh sage really does a great job in the butter because it stays whole while it cooks. I fear that the ground sage might cook faster than the fat in the butter and burn at the bottom of the pan. I hope that helps!
How much flour in your gravy? Thanks!
Hey Nancy! The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of flour. Happy cooking!
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Does the turkey need to be brined?
Hey Zoe. No, the turkey does not need to be brined! That’s one of the best things about this recipe – the turkey is fresh, and all you have to do is slather it in the browned butter sage mixture before it goes in the oven.
I have been baking a Thanksgiving turkey every year for over 40 years. I have brined, bagged, flipped and wrapped. I will tell you this was the best turkey ever and so easy. This will be my turkey go to now. Thanks so much! Merry Christmas 🙂
CC, your comment made me smile SO BIG this morning. I am thrilled that you loved this turkey and that it’s going to be your go-to recipe from here out. Thanks for giving it a try! Merry Christmas to you and yours, and happy turkey baking!