Oven Roasted Turkey
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs 30 mins
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Total Time
4 hrs
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Servings
12 servings
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Calories
630 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Oven Roasted Turkey
Description
This recipe begins by dry-brining or brining the turkey according to package directions or personal preference, requiring at least a day ahead. On the day of cooking, the turkey is patted dry and its cavity seasoned with sea salt and pepper. A butter mixture made from softened butter, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, orange zest, fresh minced garlic, and a medley of chopped fresh herbs including parsley, rosemary, oregano, and thyme is prepared.
The skin is carefully loosened from the breast to allow 2/3 of the butter mixture to be spread underneath, ensuring the flesh stays moist and flavorful. The rest is massaged onto the skin surface. Additional seasoning with sea salt and black pepper on the skin encourages crispness during roasting. The body cavity is stuffed with quartered onion, smashed garlic cloves, sprigs of rosemary and oregano, and quartered citrus fruits (lemon and orange) to infuse aromatic flavor during the roast.
The turkey legs are crossed and tied with kitchen twine for even cooking. The bird is roasted in a large, heavy pan with a meat thermometer used to monitor doneness. The result is a moist turkey with crispy, flavorful skin and a fragrant herbal-citrus aroma ideal for festive meals.
Ingredients
- 12-15 lbs turkey
- 1 teaspoon salt sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper ground
Butter Mixture:
- 1 cup butter softened, unsalted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- lemon juice juice from 1 lemon
- lemon zest from 1
- orange zest from 1
- 6 cloves garlic minced, large
- 1/4 cup parsley freshly chopped
- 1 tablespoon rosemary chopped, fresh
- 1 tablespoon oregano chopped, fresh
- 1 tablespoon thyme chopped, fresh
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped, fresh
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon salt sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper ground
Turkey Stuffing:
- 1 onion quartered - do not peel, large
- 6 garlic smashed, cloves
- 5 prigs rosemary fresh
- 5 prigs oregano fresh
- 1 lemon quartered
- 1 orange quartered
Items that you'll need:
- Foil
- Kitchen string
- Large - heavy roasting pan
- meat thermometer
Instructions
Brine and prepare the turkey:
- Brine the turkey according to the package directions or read the blog post on how to dry-brine your turkey. Plan at least one day for this step.
- Once ready to cook, pat dry the turkey and season the cavity generously with one teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper.
Butter Mixture:
- In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients listed in this section. Stir until smooth.
- Gently push your fingers under the turkey skin, lifting and separating the skin from the turkey breast. Separate as much skin as possible; don't rush, and be careful not to tear the skin.
- Stuff 2/3 of the butter mixture under the skin and use the remaining to massage it on top of the skin all over the turkey.
- Drizzle the turkey with olive oil and generously season with sea salt and ground black pepper for a crispier skin.
Stuff:
- Stuff the turkey with all the ingredients listed in this section.
- Cross the turkey legs and tie them together with kitchen twine.
Roast:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the oven rack in the lower part of your oven so the turkey fits in.
- Place an oven-safe meat thermometer into the bird, just beneath the drumstick.
- Roast uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove turkey from the oven and baste with the juices from the pan.
- Reduce the oven to 325 degrees F, cover the turkey with foil, and bake for another 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until the temperature in the breast reaches 160 degrees F.
- Uncover, baste again, and let it brown. You can also use the broil function to make the skin crispier. Be careful not to burn the bird.
- Remove the turkey from the oven, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Transfer the bird to a serving plate and decorate it with fall veggies, fruits, and fresh herbs. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 630 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 630kcal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 71g | 142% |
| Fat | 36g | 55% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Cholesterol | 273mg | 91% |
| Sodium | 982mg | 41% |
| Potassium | 814mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 1075IU | 22% |
| Vitamin C | 14mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 76mg | 8% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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