Description
This is a simple turkey recipe that produces a moist, delicious bird without a lot of fuss.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 16-lb turkey
- 2-3 medium-sized onions
- 3 celery ribs
- 4 carrots, peeled
- 2 potatoes
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp of sea salt
- 2 tbsp of black pepper
- 3 tsp of sage, rosemary, and/or garlic powder
Instructions
- Thaw and prep the turkey. Thaw the turkey completely in the refrigerator; a large turkey may need about four days. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Remove the packaging, neck, and giblets, then pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
- Prepare the butter and vegetables. Cut the onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes into bite-sized chunks. Soften the butter and mix it with salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings.
- Season the turkey. Rub the seasoned butter inside and all over the outside of the turkey. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and spread some butter underneath. Place the onions loosely inside the cavity and truss the legs with kitchen twine if desired.
- Prepare the roasting pan. Spread the remaining vegetables in the bottom of the roasting pan. Set a roasting rack over them and place the turkey on the rack breast-side up. Loosely tent the turkey with aluminum foil.
- Roast the turkey. Roast at 325°F, removing the foil after about 2 hours so the skin can brown. As the turkey approaches its expected cooking time, check the temperature in the thickest part of the breast and innermost part of the thigh without touching bone.
- Check for doneness and rest. Remove the turkey when both the breast and thigh have reached at least 165°F. Loosely tent with foil and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 1260
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 1808
- Fat: 53
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Unsaturated Fat: 31
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 174
- Cholesterol: 680