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Juicy Champagne-Brined Thanksgiving Turkey

This foolproof turkey recipe roasts a whole turkey until golden with herbs and champagne broth for a succulent, juicy turkey perfect for Thanksgiving.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 556

Ingredients
  

  • 1 12 pound whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
  • ¼ cup butter softened
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley
  • 2 tablespoons ground dried rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons dried sage
  • 2 tablespoons dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 1 orange cut into wedges
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 1 14.5 ounce can chicken broth
  • 1 750 milliliter bottle champagne

Method
 

  1. Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. Line a roasting pan with sheets of aluminum foil long enough to wrap around the turkey.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter with dried parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon pepper, and salt. Mix until well incorporated to create an herb butter.
  4. Rinse the turkey thoroughly inside and out, then pat dry with paper towels.
  5. Using your fingers, carefully loosen the skin from the turkey breast and spread about 3 tablespoons of the herb butter mixture under the skin.
  6. Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the turkey.
  7. Stuff the turkey cavity with chopped celery, orange wedges, onion, and carrot.
  8. Place the prepared turkey in the foil-lined roasting pan.
  9. Pour the chicken broth and champagne over the turkey, making sure some liquid gets inside the cavity.
  10. Bring the aluminum foil up and over the top of the turkey and seal to form a tent. Make sure there's some space between the turkey and the foil.
  11. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 2½ to 3 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) when measured in the thickest part of the thigh.
  12. For the last 45 minutes of cooking, open the foil to allow the turkey to brown beautifully.
  13. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least 15-20 minutes before carving to let the juices redistribute.
  14. Reserve the liquid in the roasting pan to make an outstanding gravy.

Nutrition

Calories: 556kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 69gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 201mgSodium: 680mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2g
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