An herb-infused butter rub goes all over the skin of this juicy rotisserie turkey, which is roasted over the grill so it frees up your oven for all the Thanksgiving fixin’s.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I’m telling you this was the moistest turkey I ever made … I highly recommend this recipe.” -Mark, FoodieCrush reader
Costco’s Rotisserie Chickens Got Nothin’ on This Bird!
You know how there are some things that are just too good not to be shared? Secret ingredients. The best place to get a pedicure. Your opinions. A bicycle built for two. An easy going, laughter-filled dinner with friends.
Add this herb butter turkey to the list. It’s one of those things just begging to be shared. I have several turkey recipes I love, like my juicy whole turkey (roasted in the oven), buffalo oven roasted turkey, and my roast turkey breast (great for a smaller crowd). And while you definitely can’t go wrong with any of them, I’m here to make a case for cooking your turkey on the rotisserie.
This rotisserie turkey recipe isn’t grilled, but it IS cooked on a rotisserie on the grill. The rotisserie spun this turkey right round baby right round, like a record player right round, round, round. Preparing a turkey this way is totally hands off. I let it do all the work.
This is the juiciest turkey recipe and the bird is so flavorful thanks to its hours of spinning and an herb-flavored, buttery rub.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
When using a rotisserie on the grill, be aware of your rotisserie’s weight limitations. My Saber Grill rotisserie accessory can only hold up to a 20 lb bird, so feeding a college football team with this version of a turkey won’t be in your cards.
I don’t recommend stuffing this bird with dressing or stuffing because it will lengthen the cooking time because it restricts the airflow in the turkey, and by the time the dense stuffing is heated through your turkey will be overcooked. This is just my humble opinion, so if you want to give it a try, let me know how it goes.
The biggest thing with using a rotisserie is one word: BALANCE. Make sure the rod goes through the turkey evenly and the forks of sit evenly too. Make sure the wing nuts that tighten the forks are exactly that — tight! Otherwise, you may lose an end as the bird spins. You may need to wiggle and jiggle a bit to get the turkey tightly into place, so don’t feel like you have to make the love connection on the first try.
What’s in This Herb Butter Rotisserie Turkey?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Whole turkey — You’ll want to use a 13- to 15-pound bird.
- Salted butter — Seasons and crisps up the skin.
- Fresh herbs — I prefer using a mixture of fresh sage, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. I think fresh herbs flavor this rotisserie turkey better than dried as they’re not as potent and are more fragrant.
- Spices — Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and sweet paprika are all you need.
- Stuffing — Avoid stuffing your turkey with actual stuffing. Instead, pack the cavity with apples, onion, and garlic to lock in moisture and flavor the bird from the inside out.
Heidi’s Tip: Feeding a smaller crowd this year and don’t need a whole turkey? Consider making a rotisserie chicken instead, which uses similar ingredients.
How to Rotisserie a Turkey
- Brine your bird. For an extra juicy bird, I suggest first brining your turkey with my wet turkey brine recipe here before cooking on the grill.
- Make the herb butter. The fresh herbs will be easy to mix into the butter so long as it’s been softened to room temperature.
- Rub the turkey with herb butter. The flavor builder and juice enhancer continues with a fresh herb-infused butter that’s rubbed under, and over the skin. Be gentle but firm when prying the skin from the meat. The resulting crispy crust is something you don’t want to tear because it’s just too pretty to behold.
- Stuff your turkey with aromatics. I loosely stuffed the cavity with apples, onions and more herbs. Like all poultry, flavor exudes from the inside out and these loose ingredients still keep the hot air flowing.
- Truss the turkey. Tie the turkey wings back with twine and place the bird on the rotisserie accessory. Let the bird cook over the grill until the juices run clear and the internal temperature registers 165°F.
Helpful Cook Times to Note
The exact turkey cooking time varies depending on how big your bird is. In general, I recommend cooking a rotisserie turkey for roughly 15 minutes per pound.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Herb Butter Rotisserie Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
For the turkey:
- One 13-15 lb turkey
- ½ cup salted butter , softened
- 1 heaping tablespoon fresh sage , chopped
- 1 heaping tablespoon fresh thyme , chopped
- 1 heaping tablespoon fresh rosemary , chopped
- 1 heaping tablespoon fresh Italian flat leaf parsley , chopped
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
For the stuffing:
- 2 apples , sliced into large chunks
- 1 onion , sliced into large chunks
- 4-5 cloves garlic , smashed
- handful of various fresh herbs
Instructions
- Prepare your grill with a rotisserie attachment. Preheat a 3 burner grill on high.
- Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey, rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix the butter and chopped fresh herbs with the salt, pepper, and paprika until well combined.
- Gently work your fingers under the skin of the turkey breast and legs. Work ¾ of the herbed butter evenly under the skin, then rub the top of the skin with the rest of the herb butter mix. Season with more kosher salt and pepper.
- Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the chopped apple, onion and smashed garlic then add the herbs.
- Tie the wings to the sides of the turkey with twine. Insert the rod of the rotisserie attachment through the middle of the turkey stem to stern. Then, attach the forks so they firmly hold and tighten the wing nuts tight so the turkey doesn't shift during cooking.
- Place the rotisserie attachment with the turkey on the grill and cook for 10 minutes, then turn the center burner off and outer burners to low for indirect heat. If this is your first time cooking on a rotisserie, you'll want to test the internal temperature of the turkey as it cooks and adjust cooking temperatures of the grill burners so it cooks evenly (so the middle isn't cooking faster than the outsides, etc.).
- Cook the turkey 15 minutes per pound. Always check the internal temperature of the turkey in the thigh without touching the bone or rotisserie rod for a finished cooking temperature of 10 degrees less than the temperature you feel safe for cooking (we go for 155°F) and juices run clear. Suggested final temperature for poultry is 165°F, but remember, it will continue to cook as it rests.
- Remove from the grill, tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 15 minutes or so until the temperature registers 165° F. If it doesn't come to temperature, pop in the oven at 350°F or on the grill to finish cooking to temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
What to Serve With Your Rotisserie Turkey
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
- Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
- Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Jalapeño Cornbread
- Green Bean Casserole
- Brussels Sprouts Salad with Roasted Beets, Pecans and Goat Cheese
More Thanksgiving Entrees You’ll Love
- Buffalo Roasted Turkey
- Roast Turkey Breast with Lemon and Oregano
- Juicy Roast Turkey Breast
- Stuffed Pork Chops
- Glazed Ham
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Danielle Russell
This is a five star recipe! Our rotisserie turkey was absolutely amazing!
Fantastic Danielle! Happy Thanksgiving!
lana rovner
i’m on year 5 of making this recipe which i cook in my rotisserie…. delicious – juicy – always a winner. I’ve used this recipe for chicken too and it does not disappoint.
That’s fantastic to hear Lana! It really is an amazing way to cook the turkey — as long as it isn’t too big for your rotisserie! Thanks for the comment and the 5 stars!
Percy Espinosa
Made this rotisserie herb Turkey last week 2024 Thanksgiving. It turned out great but I did have one observation. Spreading the herb butter was very difficult as it didn’t stick to the skin. Anyone have this same experience?
Hi Pency, so glad you enjoyed it! I suggest you make sure the skin is extra dry. Pat it well with paper towels beforehand, or you could air dry it (uncovered) in the fridge overnight and that will dry out the skin. Thanks for the comment!
lana rovner
yes – i melt it a bit in microwave – not so it’s liquid – but ‘soft’
You can soften butter in the microwave in short 10 second bursts.
Jenifer
This Herb Butter Rotisserie Turkey looks absolutely mouthwatering! The idea of rubbing the turkey with herb butter sounds like it would make the meat so tender and flavorful. I love how you’ve kept it simple with fresh herbs, but the flavor must be amazing. This would be perfect for Thanksgiving or any special family meal. I can’t wait to try it for our next holiday gathering—thanks for sharing such a delicious and easy recipe!
Mark Loesch
Wow I wish I would have took a picture, I will next time and I’m telling you this was the moistest turkey I ever made. Had a little over a 13 lb bird. Took less than 3 hrs to cook and with people there wasn’t much turkey left. That’s a clear indication of how good this turkey was, I highly recommend this recipe
The only problem is there weren’t enough stars for a higher review