How to cook a Thanksgiving Turkey
Ingredients
1 pound unsalted butter
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 Shallots Minced
2 Tbls Parsley
1 fresh turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
1 whole lemon, halved
1 onion, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
8 Sage Leaves Whole for under the skin
Olive Oil
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place butter in a small bowl. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1
teaspoon of thyme leaves,parsley, and shallots to the butter mixture, mix and
Set aside.
3. Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan.
4. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity.
5. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Carefully with your hands lift the skin on the top of bird making 4 pockets -- 2 pockets on top of bird and 2 pockets above neck of bird. Then insert the butter under skin making sure you have some left for outside of bird as well. Olive oil the outside of bird after you butter it. Then take your with salt and pepper.
6. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
7. Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours (8 - 10 pound turkey), or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. The Internal temperature should be 165 degrees F. Be sure your thermometer is not touching the bone of the turkey. Click here for a Turkey Cooking Time Guide.
8. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
9. Slice the turkey and serve.
