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Keto Roasted Turkey with Garlic and Herb Compound Butter

This Keto Thanksgiving Turkey with Garlic and Herb Compound Butter will be the centerpiece of your holiday meal this year. The compound butter adds so much flavor and ensures the turkey won't dry out. This dish is keto, low-carb, grain-free, and gluten-free!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1205kcal

Ingredients

For the Turkey

  • 1 6 pound whole turkey, fresh or defrosted (if frozen)
  • 1 onion peeled and quartered
  • 1 carrot roughly chopped into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 ribs celery roughly chopped into 2 inch pieces
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 whole lemon halved
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • Kitchen twine

For the Roasted Garlic Onions (for the gravy)

  • 1 onion peeled and quartered
  • 4 garlic cloves peeled and halved
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil

For the Garlic and Herb Compound Butter

  • 4 tablespoons 1/2 stick grass-fed butter at room temperature or ghee
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

For Gravy

  • ¼ cup ghee/grass-fed butter
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups bone broth or stock of choice include all the turkey drippings here
  • Roasted Garlic and Onions from from the turkey

Instructions

  • Make the compound butter by adding all of the ingredients into a medium bowl and combining well.
  • Set the butter aside and start preparing the turkey.
  • Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey. (CKL Tip: Save the neck in the freezer for your next batch of bone broth!)
  • Rinse the turkey and pat it dry, inside and out, with paper towels.
  • Arrange the turkey breast side up, on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan.
  • Adjust your oven rack so the turkey will sit in the center of the oven and preheat your oven to 350°F.
  • Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity.
  • Place one of the quartered onions, the carrots, the celery, and 4 garlic cloves inside the cavity of the bird.
  • Squeeze the juice of the lemon halves into the cavity and add the lemon halves inside the cavity along with the rosemary and thyme.
  • Gently lift the skin of the turkey by using your fingers and going in between the skin and body of the bird.
  • Rub half of the compound butter under the skin of the bird, spreading the rest of the butter on top of the skin as well.
  • Season the skin with salt and pepper.
  • Tie the turkey drumsticks together with kitchen twine.
  • Roast the turkey for 1 1/2 - 2 hours rotating the pan 180 degrees, halfway.
  • Continue roasting until a thermometer inserted into into the thickest part of the turkey thigh reads 165°F and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced.
  • With about 30 minutes left, add the remaining onion quarters and halved garlic cloves coated in avocado oil to the bottom of the roasting pan to use in the gravy (optional).
  • When the turkey is finished cooking, remove the roasting pan from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes before carving the turkey.
  • Remove the roasted onions, garlic cloves, and turkey drippings from pan and set aside to blend in the gravy (see recipe below).

For the Gravy (optional)

  • Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the ghee/grass-fed butter, rosemary, and cracked pepper.
  • Cook until the fat has melted and the herbs are fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the broth and turkey drippings and whisk well.
  • Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking occasionally, and cook for 10-15 minutes to reduce and thicken the gravy.
  • Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes before adding to a blender.
  • Add the liquid mixture plus the roasted onions and garlic from the turkey to the blender.
  • Blend with caution (hot liquids can cause the blender lid to pop off) on high speed until creamy in appearance.
  • Keep warmed until serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 1205kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 145g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 464mg | Sodium: 1048mg | Potassium: 1621mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4017IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 6mg