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Thanksgiving Turkey Finished

Thanksgiving Roast Turkey

Michele
Making a Thanksgiving Roast Turkey should not be as intimidating as it often is! True, it is a once-a-year endeavor for many and the pièce de resistance of a very important annual get-together. But, by focusing on prepping and cooking TECHNIQUE, as opposed to hard-and-fast recipe specs, you can quickly and easily master the task with confidence and success.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 12-14 pound whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
  • about 2 cups Herb Butter (See separate recipe.)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2-3 large yellow onions, cut into 1" chunks
  • 2-3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
  • 4-5 ribs celery, cut into thirds
  • 1-2 lemons, quartered
  • 1-2 heads garlic, about ½” of the top sliced off
  • 4-5 sprigs assorted herbs (sage, marjoram, rosemary and/or thyme)
  • 1-2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water

Instructions
 

  • If the turkey has been wet-brined, remove it from the brine, rinse it and then let it dry uncovered in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours prior to prepping it for roasting.
  • Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Double-check that the giblets and neck have been removed from the turkey cavity.
  • Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Then, slather the Herb Butter generously over the entire surface area of the turkey and under the breast skin. Place some Herb Butter in the turkey cavity as well.
  • Next, sprinkle the same area liberally with salt and black pepper. You can skip the salt if the turkey has been brined.
  • Stuff the cavity with onions, carrots, celery, lemons and herbs. Add more Herb Butter on top of these aromatics. Then, arrange a garlic head, cut side up, at the mouth of the cavity.
  • Tie the turkey legs together with butcher’s twine and tuck the wing tips under the body to prevent burning. Arrange the turkey breast-side-up on a rack fitted inside a roasting pan or on a sheet pan.
  • If desired, sprinkle the remaining aromatics and garlic heads around the turkey in the roasting pan.
  • Transfer the roasting pan to the oven and roast the turkey, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until the skin is crispy. Monitor the turkey closely during this first step so that it does not burn.
  • Then, pour about 1 cup broth or water into the pan and loosely cover the pan with tented aluminum foil. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue roasting the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. To take the turkey’s temperature properly, insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the bird–where the thigh and leg meet if roasting it whole. Stop before touching the bone. This is the part of the turkey that takes the longest to cook, so taking the temperature in this spot is very important.
  • Add additional broth or water to the pan if necessary (i.e., if the liquids in the pan dry up) during the roasting process.
  • In terms of total roasting time, a good rule of thumb is that a whole turkey takes about 12 to 15 minutes to cook per pound. However, this is just an estimate and will depend on different factors, such as whether you initially roasted the turkey at a high temperature and if it is covered or uncovered. In addition, I have always found that all-natural and organic turkey cook faster than conventional turkeys. For a 12-14 pound turkey, it could take anywhere from 2.4 to 3.5 hours. Keep an eye on the turkey and start taking its internal temperature after 2 hours to closely monitor its progress.
  • Once the turkey is finished cooking, remove it from the oven and let it rest on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes, covered, prior to carving.
  • Slice the turkey and enjoy the fruit of your efforts. Buon Appetito!

Notes

  • This recipe should be considered a guideline to follow, as amounts and cooking times will vary based on the turkey type, turkey size, turkey preparation, and oven calibration. Please refer to all the techniques and information in the detailed blog post above.
Recipe by Mangia With Michele. Please visit my site for more great cooking inspiration!
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