Butter-Herb Rotisserie Turkey

By Todd Martin November 1, 2025 6 mins read 8 Views

Make this Butter-Herb Rotisserie Turkey the star of your Thanksgiving feast. The rotisserie’s motion will keep the turkey basted and tender throughout cooking. And, you’ll have enough drippings to make a flavorful gravy!

This butter-herb rotisserie turkey is definitely a game-changer! The continuous rotation will prevent the bird from drying out while it is on the grill. This method is one of the easiest ways to cook a turkey, and the best part is that you can add wood, like apple, cherry, or hickory, to the fire for added smoke flavor.

For best results, place a drip pan underneath the turkey. That way, it can collect the flavorful drippings for gravy. After the first hour of cooking, baste the turkey with a mixture of broth and melted butter to achieve a shiny, golden-brown skin.

Rotisserie Attachment

You will need a rotisserie attachment for your grill. Check with your grill’s manufacturer to see if they offer rotisserie spits for your model. It’s worth noting that most spits can only handle turkeys weighing up to 16 pounds. If you have a larger bird (18-22 pounds), we suggest roasting it in the oven instead. If you plan to use your grill or smoker to cook a large turkey, spatchcock it first.

How long does it take to cook a turkey at 350 degrees?

At 350 degrees, a 16-pound turkey will take about 4 hours to cook. The optimal doneness temperature is 165 degrees F in the breast and 175 degrees F in the thigh section. If you go above this by 5-10 degrees, that’s fine.

Rotisserie Turkey Food Safety

Do not fill the raw turkey with stuffing before threading it. It’s both a matter of food safety and logistics. The constant rotation of the rotisserie could spill stuffing onto your grill, causing numerous flare-ups. Also, the stuffing may not be cooked properly, which could lead to foodborne illness. Please keep it safe and prepare the stuffing separately, and serve it on the side.

Recipe success

Thaw your turkey: If you’ve purchased it frozen, it will need 3 days to thaw in your fridge and at least 24 hours of brine time. So, this process starts 4 days in advance!
Fuel: Have enough fuel to get you through a 4-5 hour cooking time.
Meat thermometer: Have a reliable instant read thermometer handy to check the internal temperature of your turkey.
Check the rotisserie motor: Ensure that your rotisserie spit is functioning properly prior to the cooking event.
Gather all your ingredients: Have your brine made, your injection marinade ready, and your rub ingredients on hand.
Extras: You’ll need kitchen twine for trussing (optional step to contain the wings) and a disposable aluminum pan to catch those delicious drippings.

The Turkey Brine

If you plan to brine your turkey, make sure that your frozen turkey isn’t pre-packed in a brine solution.

For this rotisserie turkey recipe, we will be using a wet brine that includes bourbon. However, if you prefer, you can substitute the bourbon with apple juice.

Brine the turkey in a large covered stockpot for 24 hours in your refrigerator. The following day, remove the turkey from the brine solution and pat it dry with paper towels. Do not add any salt to the butter-herb rub, as the brine has already infused the turkey with salt flavor.

Ingredients

1 13-16 lbs raw turkey, thawed
1 aluminum drip pan (disposable)
Kitchen twine
Chicken broth
Melted butter
Wet Turkey Brine (or try our Apple Cider Turkey Brine Recipe)
Herb and Butter Turkey Rub (made without salt)
1 whole onion, large

How to Make a Butter-Herb Rotisserie Turkey

Make the Brine: Follow brine recipe instructions. Brine your thawed turkey for 24 hours.
Prepare your grill for 350 degrees F.
Drip Pan: Once up to temp, remove the grate and place a 9″ x 13″ drip pan in the center of the grill. Fill it with 1 cup of water.
Truss the Turkey: Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels inside and out. Truss the turkey with kitchen or butcher’s twine.
Season it: Apply the unsalted butter-herb rub evenly to the turkey, including under the breast skin and cavity. Be gentle; the skin can tear.

Threading and Cooking the Turkey

Poke through the center of the onion with a pairing knife.
Cut out a space large enough to fit the rotisserie rod. Slide rod into the onion and through turkey. Secure spit forks, but not too tightly yet.
Following manufacturer’s instructions, place onto the motor achieving a good balance of the bird. Secure the forks completely.
Cook the turkey for 3.5-4 hours or until the thickest part of the thigh and leg meat reaches an internal temperature of 175-180 degrees F and breast reaches 165-175 degrees.
Baste turkey with drippings after the first hour and do so until 30 minutes before the turkey comes off the grill.

Resting and Carving

Once cooked, remove turkey with the rod still intact.
Place onto a large cutting board and tent with aluminum foil. Let the turkey rest for 15-25 minutes while you make a gravy with the drippings collected in the drip pan.
Using heat-resistant gloves, carefully remove the rod and onion.
Carve the butter-herb rotisserie turkey, place it onto a platter and serve with gravy and your favorite sides.

Side dishes

Rotisserie Chicken on the Grill