Traditional Roasted Turkey

 

I always like to make a turkey at home just for us so that I can make a giant batch of stock to keep in the freezer and then I use the turkey to make various meals like Chicken (Turkey) Pot Pie.  This recipe is super simple and quick to get into the oven and the turkey comes out great.

If you find that you usually have a very dry turkey, I would try this tip that I learned watching the Emeril--instead of cooking the turkey all the way to 170 degrees, cook it until it is 165 degrees then let it rest on top of the oven for at least twenty minutes.  The temperature will continue rising and the dark meat will be cooked through but the turkey breast will still be moist.  It works!

Traditional Roasted Turkey

1- 12lb turkey (if its larger add cooking time)
1 small bunch parsley
4 garlic cloves
1/2 onion
2 carrots
2 celery sticks
2-3 Tb butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt (use less salt if using regular table salt)
3/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 475. Remove giblets and neck from the turkey cavity.  Trim any excess fat and stuff the cavity of the turkey with the parsley, onion, celery, carrots and garlic.  Combine butter salt and pepper.  Carefully loosen the skin under the breast and legs of the turkey and spread the butter all over the breast and legs (under the skin).  Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, breast up.  Pour a cup of water in the bottom of the pan.  Bake the turkey at 475 for thirty minutes.  Then reduce the oven temperature to 350 and continue baking turkey for 1 1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 165 when placed in the thigh of the turkey.