INGREDIENTS

  • 1 turkey weighing 12 to 20 pounds
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 1 apple, made into four slices
  • 1 lemon, cut into quarters
  • .75 ounce of fresh rosemary
  • .75 ounce of fresh sage
  • .75 ounce of fresh thyme

For Herb Butter

  • 1 cup of unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 6 to 8 cloves of minced garlic

DIRECTIONS

  1. Thaw the turkey. If you have obtained it in frozen form, take it out and thaw it at least an hour or more before starting to prepare it. Preheat oven. This is the next step. Allow the oven temperature to reach 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare herb butter. This is the main marinade for the meat. Add on a tablespoon of chopped thyme, rosemary, sage as well as salt, pepper, and minced garlic. 
  2. Prepare meat for cooking. Once the turkey is thawed you can start to remove giblets and neck as well as the insides of the body cavity. If you want you can preserve these for adding to the gravy. Pat dries the meat with paper towels. Season turkey. Start with pepper and salt for seasoning the turkey cavity. Add in ingredients like leftover herbs, apple, onion and quartered lemon inside the bird cavity. Using your finger loosen the skin above breast region and add on a tablespoon of herb butter.

  1. Place the turkey in the oven. Tuck in the wings and set the whole meat on the roasting rack inside the preheated oven. Brush on the butter on the meat body. Microwave and melt the mixture of herb butter remaining. Use it with a basting brush to add it all over the turkey body, wings, and legs.
  2. Roasting time. This should be set as per 13 minutes per pound at 325 degrees F; you could accordingly use a thermometer to check internal temperature so that it reaches 165 degrees to ensure that it is cooked thoroughly.
  3. Tent meat with foil. After roasting is done, create a tent with foil and let the meat rest on your kitchen counter. This will allow the internal cooking to continue. Rest the meat. This should be for a duration of 20 to 30 minutes.  Meat is ready for serving. The juices, drippings should be reserved for making gravy.

NOTES

  • Get a turkey whose insides are cleaned to make your preparation tasks easier.
  • Give yourself at least five hours to prepare the meat before serving it at a meal.