Preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove giblets and neck from the cavity of the turkey. Rinse and dry bird. Fold wing tips behind the turkey. Season the cavity well with salt and pepper.
Combine butter with fresh herbs and mix until thoroughly combined. Reserve ⅓ cup of the mixture for basting.
Carefully separate the skin on the breasts from the meat as far as you can reach towards the other end of the turkey. Try to keep the center portion intact. This will keep the skin and butter in place while cooking, protecting the meat from drying out. Place the softened butter mixture under the skin over the breast area, making sure the entire breast is covered. Cover the outside of the turkey with the softened butter as well. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Tie the drumsticks together with twine.
Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan breast-side up; cover loosely with a foil tent. Place bird in oven and decrease the temperature to 350°F. Bake 3 to 3½ hours.
Melt remaining herb butter. Remove foil tent from turkey during the last 45 minutes of baking and baste once with melted butter.
The turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 180°F and the breast meat reaches an internal temperature of 170°F. When the turkey is done, remove from the oven; let stand 60 minutes before carving.
Use the roast turkey pan drippings in our Fresh Herb Gravy.
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