The Best Roasted Turkey

The Best Roasted Turkey

Ingredients

• 12-15 lb turkey
• Salt & Pepper for the inside and outside of the bird

 

For the Flavored Butter:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp olive oil (not extra virgin), plus more to drizzle top
• 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon), plus ½ Tbsp lemon zest
• 3 large garlic cloves, pressed
• ¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
• ½ Tbsp salt (I used sea salt)
• ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground

 

For the Stuffing:

• 1 large onion, quartered (no peeling)
• 4 garlic cloves, halved (no peeling)
• ½ bunch parsley
• 1 lemon, quartered

 

 

Directions

 

1. Season inside of turkey cavity generously with about 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine: 2 sticks softened butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, ½ Tbsp lemon zest, 4 Tbsp lemon juice, 3 pressed garlic cloves, ¼ cup chopped parsley, ½ Tbsp salt, ½ tsp pepper. Mash /stir with a fork until well combined.
3. Separate the skin from the turkey breast by pushing your fingers under the skin. Do this from the front and the back of the turkey; being careful not to tear the skin.
4. Stuff ⅔ of the butter mixture under skin then spread the butter around by massaging over the top of the skin. This butter keeps the turkey breast tender, juicy and provides rich flavor.
5. Rub remaining butter over the outside of the turkey (breast, legs, wings). Drizzle all over the top of the turkey with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper.
6. Stuff turkey with quartered onion, 4 halved garlic cloves, ½ bunch parsley and quartered lemon. Tie turkey base and legs together; crossing the legs to better close up the turkey cavity.

 

Pre-heat the oven to 430˚F for the turkey

1. Here is a fantastic tip: to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy: Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry. You’ll apply this shield later in the roasting process.
2. Place a meat thermometer into the bird; beneath the drum stick; deep into the dark meat. Start roasting at 430˚F for 20 min.
3. Remove from oven; quickly baste with butter from the bottom of the dish. You can use a baster or tilt one side of the pan and collect drippings with a large spoon. Now apply prepared foil triangle to turkey breast area.
4. Reduce oven to 350˚F and bake for another 2 hours 30 min for a 12 lb bird. (Once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey). The turkey thigh should register at 170˚F on the temperature probe and the breast at 160˚F to make sure it’s fully cooked through then remove from the oven (keep in mind the turkey temp continues to rise slightly after it’s out of the oven).
5. Transfer turkey to serving platter and cover loosely but fully with foil. Let turkey rest for at least a half hour then start carving. Enjoy!

 

printable version: The Best Roasted Turkey