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Ina Garten

Perfect Roast Turkey


Ingredients

  • ¼ lb unsalted butter
  • 1 Lemon zested and juiced
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh Thyme
  • 1 fresh Turkey 10 to 12 pounds
  • Kosher Salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large bunch fresh Thyme
  • 1 whole Lemon halved
  • 1 Spanish Onion quartered
  • 1 head Garlic halved crosswise

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside.
  3. 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 bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
  4. Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
  5. Slice the turkey and serve.
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What do you think?

 
  • Sherry16
    6 months ago

    I made this recipe on Thanksgiving...and was so impressed! So elegant and delicious...I added chicken broth and white wine to the bottom of the roasting pan. The gravy was devine. Can't wait to try this recipe with a whole chicken~

  • Sherry16
    6 months ago

    This was so elegant and delicious...added chicken broth and white wine to the bottom of the pan. Made a devine gravy. Can't wait to try this recipe with a whole chicken. Thank you Ina Garten, you are an inspiration~

  • Lynette49
    January 2010

    i cooked this turkey on Christmas day and it was the best, everyone loved it, thank you.

  • ghlew
    January 2010

    This recipe is great! I roasted my turkey in an oven bag and it turned out very moist! Will be doing it again.

  • greg
    November 2009

    This was a simple and elegant recipe. However, a 12 pound turkey needed at least an hour more of cooking time that shown here.

  • MA112
    November 2009

    cooked this for my brother and his wife, the compliments i received on the meal where fantastic.. thank you ina..

  • Gaynor8
    November 2009

    I havent used recipe yet,plan to use it for Christmas Day, however thank you for emailing them to me,I love looking at all of the recipes.

  • neddy
    December 2008

    This recipe I did last year for christmas and found everyone commenting on how delicious it was so again this year no worries.

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