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Salt-Rubbed Roast Turkey

Salt-Rubbed Roast Turkey pairs a deeply seasoned, juicy interior with beautifully crisp skin, balanced by a hint of sweetness from brown sugar and a gentle peppery finish. Roasted over aromatics, it develops rich pan flavors that complement the tender meat. It’s an impressive centerpiece for holidays or special gatherings when you want classic turkey with elevated depth.

  • Prep40 mins
  • Cook2 hrs 30 mins
  • Serves12
  • DifficultyMedium
Salt-Rubbed Roast Turkey

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Salt-Rubbed Roast Turkey, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

44 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
44 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
0 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityGood
93 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
1 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

25
Heart Health
67
Metabolic
14
Digestive
20
Inflammatory
54
Performance
41
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Combine the salt, brown sugar, and pepper in a small bowl.

  2. 2

    Rinse the turkey with cold water and pat it dry inside and out.

  3. 3

    Place the turkey in a shallow baking pan.

  4. 4

    Rub the outside with half of the salt mixture.

  5. 5

    Loosen the skin from the breast meat and rub the remaining salt mixture between the skin and the breast meat.

  6. 6

    Refrigerate uncovered for 8 to 12 hours.

  7. 7

    Take the turkey out of the refrigerator.

  8. 8

    Let it stand until it reaches room temperature, about 1 hour.

  9. 9

    Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

  10. 10

    Rinse the turkey with cold water to wash off the salt mixture and place it in a roasting pan.

  11. 11

    Stuff the turkey cavity with the celery, onion, and carrots.

  12. 12

    Loosen the turkey skin from the breast meat and rub the softened butter onto the breast meat.

  13. 13

    Pour the chicken broth over the turkey.

  14. 14

    Bake the turkey in the preheated oven, breast side up, for 30 minutes.

  15. 15

    Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and continue cooking, basting occasionally, until the bone is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 2 hours.

  16. 16

    Check with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh; it should register 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

  17. 17

    Remove the turkey from the oven, cover it with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and let it rest in a warm place for 30 minutes before slicing.

About This Recipe

Salt Rubbed Roast Turkey is made with 9 ingredients and serves 12. It takes about 3 hrs 10 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Baby Carrot, Black Pepper, Brown Sugar, and Celery. Each serving provides about 81.78 kcal.

Recipe Questions

What is Salt-Rubbed Roast Turkey made of?
The main ingredients are Baby Carrot, Black Pepper, Brown Sugar, Celery, Chicken Broth. The full list of 9 is above.
How long does it take to make Salt-Rubbed Roast Turkey?
About 3 hrs 10 mins in total: 40 mins to prepare and 2 hrs 30 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 81.78 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Salt-Rubbed Roast Turkey easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 9 ingredients and 17 steps.
Is Salt-Rubbed Roast Turkey healthy?
Salt-Rubbed Roast Turkey has an easyChef Pro health score of 44/100. Per serving, it provides 81.78 calories and 9.9 g of protein, or 20% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 285.58 mg (12% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 1.86 g (9% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Celery and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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