Traditional Roasted Turkey

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You can make this recipe your own by adding herbs or dry rubs. But for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner just roast with butter, salt and pepper.


Wine Pairing: A newly released Beaujolais Nouveau or a Viognier.

Serves 14

Total time: 4 hours

Ingredients

  • 12-14 pound turkey
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
    Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

    Instructions:

    Prepare the turkey: Remove the neck and gizzard from the cavity and reserve for gravy or discard. Rinse the turkey body cavity, pat dry with paper towels. Season turkey with generous amounts of salt and pepper (about 2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon pepper).

    Rub the bird with butter and for more flavor slip a tablespoon of butter under the skin of the breast. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Add 2 cups chicken broth to the pan. Cover with a lid.

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the turkey 3 hours (20 minutes/pound if stuffed or 15 minutes/pound unstuffed. Check on the bird in 2 1/2 hours just to be sure you don't overcook.

    The meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of inner thigh registers 170 degrees F. Remove from oven and allow 20-30 minutes for resting before carving. The temperature will rise about 3-5 more degrees.

    Terri’s Tips:

  • Always pat outside of turkey with a paper towel before roasting (even those that have a dry brine), this helps provide a crispy skin and enhances the golden brown color.

  • Serve turkey with your favorite gravy

  • Stuff turkey with your favorite dressing or stuffing- stuff the bird right before roasting, but don’t pack it in too tightly

  • Select a turkey that hasn’t been self basted or enhanced with a salt solution

  • Tie the turkey to help with even cooking or cover the wing tips with foil so they won’t burn

  • Prepare turkey with a wet brine

  • A dry brine- rubbing the turkey all over with a salt mixture and letting it stand in the refrigerator for a day is easier than a wet method and is very effective in terms of imparting lots of flavor and moistness. It will take 4 tablespoons of Kosher salt that includes the 2 tablespoons that will go inside the cavity and two tablespoons that will be rubbed into top of breast and legs. Rinse the salt off and pat turkey dry before cooking.

  • The butter under the skin of the bird provides a crisp skin and moist meat

    Make it your own:

    Rosemary and sage are excellent with turkey and chicken

    Try a lemon pepper or a curry dry rub, just liberally rub under the breast skin and over the outside of the whole bird