© 2024 National Turkey Federation
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1225 New York Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20005
“Get the perfect oven roasted turkey for your holiday table with this simple and delicious recipe. The meat stays juicy and tender every time! ” – Erin Sellin, Dinners, Dishes & Desserts
Take a walk down memory lane with classic oven roasted turkey this Thanksgiving. For more on preparing a Thanksgiving feast, check out Thanksgiving 101.
1 (12 to 14 lb) Whole turkey fresh or frozen, thawed
1 Large onion, quartered
1 lemon quartered
3 Whole bay leaves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs sage
2 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed
HERB BUTTER RUB
8 Tbsp butter, room temperature
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp fresh sage, minced
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
Salt and Pepper
Remove turkey from the fridge and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a small bowl mix together salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle on the inside cavity of the turkey to season.
Place the quartered onion, lemon, bay leaves, sage, rosemary, thyme and garlic into the turkey.
Bring the legs together and tie together with string.
Tuck the tips of the wings under the turkey.
In a small food processor mix together butter, garlic, sage, thyme and rosemary until well blended.
Generously season the outside of the entire turkey with salt and pepper.
Use your fingers rub the butter mixture evenly over the turkey until it is well coated.
Place the turkey in a roasting pan with about 1 cup of water in the bottom.
Bake for 30 minutes until the skin is golden, then reduce the temperature to 350 and cook for an additional 2 1/2 hours. Total cooking time will vary based on the size of your turkey, but count on about 15 minutes per pound.
Remove turkey from the oven and tent with foil for 20 minutes before slicing to serve.
Serving Size about 8 Ounces
Total Calories 530
Total Fat 26 g
Cholesterol 212 g
Sodium 557 mg
Total Carbohydrates 1 g
Protein 73 g