Self Basting Roast Turkey Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 whole 16-18 pound turkey

  thawed
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
• 1 cup unsalted butter

  at room temperature
• 1 bunch of fresh herbs

  like parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage
• 2 lemons

  quartered, plus more for garnish
• 2 yellow onions

  peeled and quartered

Instructions

• 1 Prepare the wholly thawed turkey the day before serving. Pull out the neck and
  gizzards inside the turkey, trim any bits of extra skin or fat around the head
  and tail of the bird, and tuck the wings underneath the turkey. Dry it
  thoroughly, inside and out, with paper towels, and season the inside with salt
  and pepper.
• 2 Make the butter compound: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter with 2
  tablespoons of kosher salt, a bit of pepper, and 2 tablespoons of finely chopped
  herbs (I like a combination of parsley, rosemary, and sage, but use your
  favorite blend, or just one of them). Mix until thoroughly combined.
• 3 Loosen the skin: Using the tips of your index and middle fingers or the rounded
  end of a small silicone spatula, slide your finger between the skin and the meat
  of the breast, breaking the thin, clear membrane and separating the two. Wiggle
  your finger until the skin has loosened. Repeat on the other side of the breast
  and on both sides of the neck opening until all 4 breast quadrants have
  loosened. Be careful not to tear the skin.
• 4 Apply Compound & Refrigerate: Lift each opening in the four breast quadrants and
  insert a spoonful of the compound herb butter, using the skin to release the
  butter from the spoon onto the meat. Repeat until all 4 areas have the compound.
  Use your hands to massage the butter through the skin to create a covering over
  the meat. Then, use the remaining butter to coat the outside of the turkey,
  including the legs, thighs, and wings. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top.
  
  Place the turkey breast side up in a roasting pan or a rimmed baking sheet.
  Refrigerate for 24 hours or overnight. This will help the skin crisp as it
  bakes.
• 5 Remove the turkey from the refrigerator about 1 hour before cooking; bringing it
  to room temperature helps it cook evenly. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and
  place the oven rack so the turkey will sit in the middle of the oven.
• 6 Quarter the lemons and onions and place them inside the turkey’s cavity. Tie the
  ends of the drumsticks together with kitchen twine.
• 7 Transfer the turkey to the oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer
  inserted into the thickest part of each thigh reads at least 165 degrees (see
  USDA recommended temperatures
  [https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-is-a-safe-internal-temperature-for-cooking-meat-and-poultry]),
  which will be around 10 to 13 minutes per pound, or 2½ to 3½ hours, depending on
  the size of the turkey.
• 8 Remove the turkey from the oven and cover loosely with foil to keep it warm.
  Remember that the turkey's internal temperature will continue to rise, up to 10
  degrees or more. Reserve the dripping for gravy if desired and carve when ready
  to serve.

Nutrition Info