The Low Down
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 2 hours, 45 mins
Rest Time: 1 hour
Total TIme: 3 hours, 55 mins
Serves 8-10
Tools: Roasting pan with rack, turkey baster
Inspired by Epicurious.
Ingredients
- 1 10-12 lb Turkey, fresh or thawed
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature (Dairy-free: Use non-dairy butter substitute. We love Melt!)
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 1 orange, quartered
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 4 cups chicken broth (may need a little more)
Instructions
- Brine turkey 24 hours before roasting (optional - but I recommend brining to give you the most tender turkey imaginable). Click here for Martha Stewarts incredible brine recipe - by FAR my favorite!
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Set a rack inside a large roasting pan. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Rub bird inside and out with salt and pepper.
- Place turkey on the rack in the pan. Using a fork, mix butter, lemon juice, rosemary, sage, and thyme in a small bowl. Rub herb butter over top of turkey and inside cavity.
- Place onion, orange, and lemon inside turkey cavity. Tuck tips of wings under bird (this prevents them from burning during the long roasting time). Pour 4 cups broth into pan. Roast turkey, uncovered, for 30 minutes. (See recipe notes if you are cooking your stuffing in the pan.) Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Baste turkey with pan juices; add more broth if needed to maintain at least 1/4" liquid in the bottom of roasting pan. Continue roasting turkey, basting every 30 minutes. (You can also baste with melted butter or non-dairy butter substitute.)
- Tent with foil if skin begins to get too dark.
- Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165°F (juices should run clear when thermometer is removed), about 2 3/4 hours total.
- Transfer turkey to a platter. Tent with foil and let rest for 1 hour before carving.
Recipe Notes
I ALWAYS cook my stuffing with my turkey. If you are cooking your stuffing in the same pan you use to roast your turkey, fill the pan with stuffing, place the rack on top of stuffing, and place turkey on rack. The juices of the turkey should keep the stuffing moist, but you may need to baste with a little broth. You should be able to collect the turkey juices and use them to baste the turkey. However, you can also baste with melted butter.