Photo: World's Simplest Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pull the neck and giblets out of the cavity; ditch the liver and save the rest of the giblets for gravy. Dry the turkey with paper towels, then season inside and out with salt and pepper. Fill the turkey with aromatics like chopped onions, carrots, apples and herbs, then place breast-side up in a roasting pan and brush with melted butter. Tent with foil and roast for 2 hours (for a 10- to 12-pound turkey; add an extra 15 minutes per pound for larger birds). Remove the foil, baste with more melted butter and crank the oven to 425 degrees F. Roast for another hour or until the meat at the thigh registers 165 degrees F. Let rest while you make the gravy.
Photograph by Anita Calero
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By lilsexymoma_125...
pomona
on January 10, 2012
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Fantastic! I have made this for Easter as well as Thanksgiving and it is always a hit. I love seeing the look on people's faces when I tell them how fast it was and that I only have to baste it once. Always juicy and perfectly browned = I stuff it with garlic, onions, and fresh herbs from the garden: sage, rosemary, and thyme. The second time I made this turkey, I also made a small hole right above each breast just under the skin and stretched out a pocket where I put in some more butter. So it looked like the turkey had a minor augmentation done. This way turned out better than the first.
By minimamma
on December 27, 2011
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Okay WHAT!!?? This recipe is amazing!!!! I hate when you read all of these glowing reviews of recipes only to be terribly disappointed... this is not one of those recipes. I am not the world's best cook so when I volunteered to cook the Christmas turkey my family was a little nervous. They had heard it before "I found this recipe online that got some really great reviews..." and it turned out like crap! But not this time!!! The turkey was identical to the pic, it was super easy - I even pulled it off between naps and feedings of my twins. Just follow the timing and temps exactly, don't forget the tent (I believe this is the key. I did add uncooked bacon strips to the uncooked turkey right after basting w/ butter (then removed them before removing the tent so the turkey would brown properly and what do you know best turkey EVAR! You must try this recipe! You will NOT be disappointed!!! Enjoy!
By Unicornkd
New Windsor, NY
on December 25, 2011
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I did this for thanksgiving adding apples, thyme, sage, onions and carrots in the cavity. Now my mother expects me to cook the turkey all the time. It's Christmas day and I'm cooking the turkey again. It was moist and delicious. My father's appetite has not been the best and when I gave him a small plate with this turkey and the easy gravy recipe I got off this site also he not only ate it all but asked for more. I love this recipe it is totally full proof!
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