Lemon Herb Roasted Turkey Crown (Printable)
Turkey crown roasted with lemon zest and fresh herbs for a flavorful, elegant main dish.
# What You Need:
→ Turkey
01 - 5.5 lb turkey crown, skin on
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tsp sea salt
04 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Herb & Lemon Butter
05 - 7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
07 - 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
08 - 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
09 - Zest of 2 lemons
10 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
→ For Roasting
11 - 1 lemon, halved
12 - 1 onion, quartered
13 - 2 carrots, roughly chopped
14 - 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
15 - 1 cup chicken stock
# Steps:
01 - Set the oven to 350°F (fan assisted, gas mark 4) to prepare for roasting.
02 - In a small bowl, mix softened butter with parsley, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, and minced garlic until well combined.
03 - Pat the turkey crown dry with paper towels. Gently loosen the skin with your fingers and spread half of the herb butter beneath it; rub the remaining butter evenly over the skin.
04 - Rub the turkey crown all over with olive oil, then season thoroughly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
05 - Place lemon halves, quartered onion, chopped carrots, and celery at the base of a large roasting tray. Position the turkey crown breast side up on top of the vegetables.
06 - Pour 1 cup of chicken stock into the roasting tray to maintain moisture during cooking.
07 - Cook for 1 hour 45 minutes, basting the turkey every 30 minutes with pan juices. If the skin browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil to prevent burning.
08 - Verify the thickest part of the breast reaches an internal temperature of 165°F using a meat thermometer to ensure proper cooking.
09 - Remove turkey from oven and rest loosely covered with foil for 20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute before slicing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It looks restaurant-worthy but comes together in under three hours, which means you can actually enjoy your guests instead of hiding in the kitchen.
- The herb butter gets under the skin and keeps the meat unbelievably moist while the top gets golden and crispy—it's the best of both worlds.
02 -
- Skipping the resting time is a mistake I made once—the meat was dry because all those juices hadn't had time to settle back in.
- Loosening the skin without tearing it takes a gentle hand, but it's worth the care because that's where all the flavor lives as the turkey cooks.
03 -
- Room-temperature butter spreads under the skin without tearing it, so take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start cooking.
- The pan juices are liquid gold—strain them and use them as the base for gravy, or just spoon them over carved meat and roasted vegetables for unbeatable flavor.