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Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

This is the best Thanksgiving turkey recipe that ensures a moist, flavorful turkey perfect for your holiday table.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 4 hours
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 10 slices
Calories 350 kcal

Equipment

  • Roasting Pan
  • meat thermometer
  • Basting brush

Ingredients
  

Turkey and Flavoring

  • 1 turkey thawed (14 to 20 pound)
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1.5 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme finely chopped
  • 0.5 tablespoon fresh sage finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 0.75 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt for cavity
  • 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper for cavity

Stuffing Ingredients

  • 2 large carrots cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
  • 1 stalk celery cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
  • 1 large onion quartered
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 sprigs fresh sage
  • 4 sprigs fresh parsley

Liquids

  • 1 cup low sodium chicken stock or broth
  • 0.5 cup apple cider

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Remove the thawed turkey from the refrigerator one hour before roasting and prepare by removing giblets and neck.
  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • Combine the butter, parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper to prepare the herb butter.
  • Pat the turkey dry and season the cavity with salt and pepper.
  • Loosely stuff the turkey cavity with carrots, celery, onion, herbs, bay leaves, orange, and lemon.
  • Apply herb butter under the skin of the turkey and all over the skin.
  • Tie the legs together and tuck the wing tips under the turkey.
  • Add chicken stock and apple cider to the roasting pan.
  • Roast the turkey until the thermometer reads 160°F, approximately 12 to 15 minutes per pound.
  • Tent with foil if the skin gets too dark.
  • Remove from oven, tent with foil, and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

Notes

Save the neck and giblets for stock and gravy, or discard if preferred. Baste the turkey once an hour if desired. Tenting with foil can be done approximately 90 minutes into roasting if needed. Reserve drippings for making turkey gravy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 35gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 400mgSugar: 1g
Keyword Dinner, holiday, Main Course, Roasting, Thanksgiving, Turkey
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