Roasting Turkey Cuts

Small Scale, Big Flavor

Roasting turkey cuts delivers on flavor and ensures you have the cut of turkey you love on the table. Plus, they’re perfect for smaller crowds. The secret is using a compound butter to add flavor, keep your turkey moist and deliver that crispy skin you’re looking for. And the best part is that compound butters are super simple to make and infinitely customizable. 

Below is a recipe for compound butter that you can use as is or as inspiration for your own butter blend. Following that are directions for roasting bone-in breast, thighs and legs. Enjoy!

Compound Butter

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 large clove garlic, minced

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until well combined.
• NOTE: If substituting dry herbs for fresh herbs, use one teaspoon of dried herbs in place of one tablespoon of fresh herbs.

Roasting: Bone-in Turkey Breast

Servings: 6 

Ingredients

• 4-6 lb bone-in turkey breast
• One half of the Compound Butter recipe

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Pat the skin dry with a paper towel.
• Apply the compound butter underneath the skin and then on top of the skin.
• Place in a high-rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and roast for around 1.5 to 2 hours depending on size. The breast should take about 25 minutes per pound. Start checking the temperature after an hour and fifteen minutes.
• Remove from the oven when internal temperature reaches 160°F.
• Rest covered loosely with aluminum foil for at least 15 minutes and as long as half an hour. This allows for the juices to redistribute and for the breast to reach a final internal temperature of 165°F. Use a meat thermometer to confirm the turkey reached the safe internal temperature.

Roasting: Turkey Thighs

Servings: 4 

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in turkey thighs, roughly 1 lb each
• One half of the Compound Butter recipe

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Pat the skin dry with a paper towel.
• Apply the compound butter underneath the skin and then on top of the skin.
• Place in a high-rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and roast for around 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches 170°F.
• Rest covered loosely with aluminum foil for at least 15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.

Roasting: Turkey Legs

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 6 turkey legs, roughly 1 lb each
• One half of the Compound Butter recipe

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Pat the skin dry with a paper towel.
• Apply the compound butter underneath the skin and then on top of the skin.
• Place in a high-rimmed baking sheet on top of a cooling rack and roast for around 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches 175°F.
• Rest covered loosely with aluminum foil for at least 15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.

For more information on making the most of your Thanksgiving meal, head over to Thanksgiving 101.