The Best Recipe for Roast Heirloom or Heritage Turkey

I’ve been wanting to post this recipe for the Best Roast Heirloom or Heritage Turkey for a while and so excited to finally publish it to the blog today. The holidays are a wonderful time for gathering for gathering with loved ones and Thanksgiving Dinner is my foodie Super Bowl! This roast turkey recipe is delicious year-round. 

The Difference Between Heritage, Heirloom, and Conventional Turkey

Heritage Breed Turkeys

When choosing a turkey for your holiday dinner, it’s important to understand the differences between heritage, heirloom, and conventional turkey breeds. Each type offers a unique culinary experience. Heritage breed turkeys are traditional breeds that have been preserved over generations. They are known for their rich flavor and firm texture. These turkeys are often raised in more natural environments resulting in more natural flavor. They are allowed to roam freely and grow at a slower pace. This contributes to their unique taste and texture. Varieties of heritage turkeys have a higher proportion of dark meat and a slightly gamey flavor, making them a popular choice for those who appreciate a more authentic and robust turkey taste.

Heirloom Turkeys

Heirloom turkeys are similar to heritage turkeys in that they are older breeds. However, they often come from specific lines that have been carefully bred for particular characteristics, such as flavor or size. These birds may not be as old as heritage breeds but are still considered superior to conventional turkeys due to their high quality and the care taken in raising them. Heirloom turkeys offer a middle ground between the rich flavor of heritage breeds and the mildness of conventional turkeys, providing a tender and flavorful option that is well-suited for a variety of palates.

Conventional Turkeys

Conventional turkeys or commercial turkeys are the most common and sold in most grocery stores in the United States. Bred for maximum efficiency, they are considered a “standard turkey” here in the US. This means they grow quickly and produce a large amount of white meat. These turkeys are also raised in more controlled environments. As a result they tend to have a broad breast, making them ideal for those who prefer a milder, leaner meat. The flavor of broad-breasted white meat is much more mild than the aforementioned turkey varieties. However, they may lack the depth of flavor and texture that heritage or heirloom turkeys provide, making them a more budget-friendly but less distinctive choice for the holiday table.

Ingredients for Our Roast Heirloom Turkey

If this is your first heritage turkey or heirloom turkey, you’re in for a treat. The list of ingredients is short but dry brining is a cooking method that will yield the best results. Here’s what we need: 

• 1/2 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt: See the guide below for salt ratios based on the weight of your heritage birds. For The heirloom turkey we’re using in this recipe, we have about 12 pounds in breast meat and thigh meat for this recipe. 
• Turkey: This recipe is great for a whole heirloom turkey weighing between 11 and 14 pounds. We’ll save the neck and giblets for gravy or turkey stock. 
• Unsalted butter: We’re using 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, divided.
• Fresh Herbs: Using about 1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs. You can use a mix of rosemary, sage, and thyme which always complement an herb butter from roasting the turkey. It will also create the most delicious pan juices. 
• Garlic: I am partial to the use of garlic here in the dry brine. We’ll use 6 garlic cloves, grated or minced.
• Citrus Zest: I love a mix of zest from 1 orange and 2 lemon. It’s fragrant and flavorful for our dry brine mix that leaves a deliciously flavorful bird. 

Why We Dry Brine Our Heirloom or Heritage Turkey

The best way to bring out the most delicious flavors of your heirloom or heritage turkey is through dry brining. Dry brining uses the food’s own moisture to form the brine that then soaks back into the meat of our 12 pound bird. Along with producing juicy, flavorful results, dry brining also helps us achieve better browning and crispy skin. In my view, this is also a much simpler process that takes up a lot less space than a wet brine. We can place our turkey in the refrigerator to dry brine for up to 3 days before roasting it for the day we plan to serve it. 

Roasting Our Heirloom Turkey

Line a roasting pan with foil or parchment paper. Preheat your oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place oven rack in the lowest position of oven. Place turkey on roasting rack or pan breast side down. Using your fingers, separate skin from the flesh to create a pocket for your butter. Take the cubes of unsalted butter and lift skin to place the butter cubes under the skin for the large breasts. If you don’t want to use butter, olive oil is a great substitute. We then roast our turkey for 2 to 3 hours, depending on the size of your bird. Smaller birds will require less roast time. Larger birds will require a longer cook time. 

To check for doneness, use a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer to check the thickest part of the thigh. Internal temperature should read about 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Once internal temperature is 165 degrees, you can remove the turkey from the oven to rest under a tent of foil. This allows the juices to settle into the meat leaving a moist and flavor-rich turkey. 

Final Tips and FAQ

This roast turkey is sure to be a fabulous addition to your collection of heirloom or heritage turkey recipes. For ideas on sides, I love this recipe for Roast Maple Delicata Squash. I also love this Roast Carrot Tart.