While cooking turkey takes time, the steps are not difficult. Follow the guide below for our best tips to ensure your roast turkey is perfect and juicy!
Ingredients :
12 to 14 pound whole turkey *
¼ cup olive oil or melted butter, slightly cooled
½ cup chopped fresh herbs parsley, rosemary, sage and/or thyme
1 recipe prepared stuffing optional
1 large onion optional
2 medium carrots optional
2 ribs celery optional
4 cups chicken broth or turkey broth
fresh herbs additional, if not stuffing the turkey
Directions :
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Remove giblets and neck from turkey cavity if they are inside (not all turkeys have this) and set aside. Pat the skin of the turkey dry with paper towels. If stuffing the turkey, wipe the inside of the cavity with paper towels.
Rub the skin of the turkey with olive oil and chopped herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Twist the tips of the wings under the turkey.
If stuffing the turkey, fill the cavity stuffing loosely with cooled stuffing (do not pack stuffing). There is a small area near the neck that you can also fill with stuffing and cover with a flap of skin if you'd like. If you are not stuffing the turkey, add ½ an onion and fresh herbs to the cavity.
Crisscross the legs and tie them together with kitchen string or tuck under the flap of skin at the tail if your turkey has one to hold them in place.
Prepare a large rimmed roasting pan by placing a rack in the middle. Add a quartered onion, chopped celery, and carrot. Add the turkey neck and giblets to the pan as well.
Place turkey in a roasting pan on a rack, breast side up. Add 3-4 cups of broth to the bottom of the pan (just enough to fill the pan about 1" deep).
Add turkey to the oven, reduce heat to 325°F and roast until turkey reaches 165°F *see cooking times below. Once the breast starts to brown, loosely tent a piece of foil over the breast so it doesn't overcook.
Remove the turkey from the roasting pan to a rimmed baking sheet or a plate and tent it with foil. Rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
Make gravy from the drippings while the turkey rests if desired.
