Perfect Roast Turkey

Show: Barefoot ContessaEpisode: The Holiday Meal

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (51)

Cook Time:
2 hr 30 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
8 servings

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 20 min
Cook: 2 hr 30 min
Total:: 3 hr 5 min

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Ingredients

1 (12 pound) fresh turkey
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
1 lemon, halved
1 Spanish onion, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
4 tablespoons unsalted (1/2 stick) melted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, lemon, onion, quartered, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.

Roast the turkey for 2 1/2 hours, basting from time to time with pan juices, until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with foil; let it rest for 20 minutes. Slice the turkey and serve hot.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Perfect Roast Turkey
Jacob Carrollton, VA 01-08-2010
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Easy & Delicious
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I'm a college student with limited cooking resources in my dorm. Before term ended, some friends and I decided to fix our own... holiday meal for each other?I got assigned the turkey. I went straight to my Barefoot Contessa cookbooks because I've never been let down by an Ina recipe. I saw that I was familiar with all the ingredients, and the prep-work would be a doable, even in a dorm kitchenette. Once my bird was on the table, and we were all feasting?all of my picky college friends LOVED the turkey. It could not have been a better hit. Thanks, Ina, for helping make our special occasions even better.Read more
recipe Perfect Roast Turkey
MEREDITH Calgary, CO 12-31-2009
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The Best
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My boyfriend and I took on our first turkey this Christmas, and we used this recipie! Our turkey was SO moist, and the... stuffing... was perfect, we almost wished we had a bigger turkey for more Stuffing!Read more
recipe Perfect Roast Turkey
sandra ft.lauderdale, FL 12-26-2009
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Declicious Turkey
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Ina, I love your recipes and this was one of the best. My family loved the turkey. I ran this same recipe off on December... 5th and it called for 1 stick of butter. I thought that was too much and wound up freezing the balance which had been melted and which also included thyme lemon zest and lemon juice. Why do they put the same recipe on with different ingredients. Did anyone else have this problem?Read more
recipe Perfect Roast Turkey
rebbecca ocala, FL 12-11-2009
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the best!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This turkey had the best flavor ever!! I have never made a turkey before, so was a little nervous i was going to ruin it. ... It turned out perfectly!Read more
recipe Perfect Roast Turkey
Sherry san antonio, TX 12-04-2009
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Made a truly perfect turkey! I
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I also used this recipe for a roast chicken and it was also fabulous. I'll never use another, this was great!
recipe Perfect Roast Turkey
layne Richmond, VA 11-29-2009
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Easy Perfection
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My turkey was larger and purchsed brined from Trader Joes'. Followed the recipe, minus the fennel and potato step. Turned out... delicous and moist. I have been purchasing our turkey cooked from my local grocery, but from now on will use this recipe and cook myself. GREAT! Layne Richmond, VA Read more