Whole Roasted Turkey

Ingredients:
1 12 lb turkey, cleaned of giblets etc.
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup room temperature butter

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
Rinse and pay dry your turkey and place in a roasting pan. (I personally stuff my turkey with stuffing but that’s optional. If you choose not to stuff your turkey reduce the cooking time to 3-3 ½ hours)
Rub the room temperature butter all over the turkey and then sprinkle the dry seasoning evenly all over and place in oven. Roast for 3¾- 4½ hours checking internal temperature to ensure it’s at 160 or higher.

Tips:
Every hour I turn the pan and 2 hours in I begin to baste the bird with the juices in the pan, I brush the bird softly as well to give it the even brown skin throughout!
If you’re finding that your bird is getting overly brown on top use a piece of folded tin foil to tent over the top while it continue to cook to prevent oven browning/potentially burning.

Roasting the Turkey: Step-by-Step
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. This ideal oven temperature is crucial for slowly and evenly roasting your turkey to perfection.
Combine your seasonings – salt, paprika, onion powder, dried thyme, white pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, and black pepper in a small bowl. This blend will ensure a flavorful and crispy skin.
Prepare your turkey by rinsing it under cold water and patting it dry with paper towels. This step is key for the seasoning to stick and for achieving that golden brown skin we all love.
Rub the turkey with butter then lavish it with the dry seasoning mix, ensuring an even coat. Place the turkey breast side up on a flat roasting rack inside a roasting pan. If you’re using a larger turkey, adjusting the cooking time accordingly is essential.
Roast the turkey, calculating the cook time based on the pound of turkey – about 13 minutes per pound for a stuffed bird. Utilize a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, targeting the thickest part of the thigh. You’re aiming for a safe temperature of 160 degrees F, which ensures juicy meat without drying out the breast meat.
Let the turkey rest before carving to allow the juices to redistribute. Breast meat continues to cook even after it’s out of the oven, so this step also helps in avoiding dry turkey.

Tips for Perfectly Browned Skin:
Achieving that coveted crispy, golden brown skin on your whole turkey can feel a bit like a culinary magic trick. But trust me, it’s much simpler than pulling a rabbit out of a hat. One key strategy is basting. Every hour, like clockwork, I lovingly bathe my turkey in its own juices, collected with care from the bottom of the roasting pan.
This not only keeps the meat juicy but helps the skin become that perfect shade of golden brown we all dream about. And, if you notice the breast meat getting too much color too fast, don’t panic! A simple foil tent placed gently over the top works wonders. It shields the turkey skin from direct heat, letting it cook evenly without over-browning. It’s these little steps that make all the difference, turning your Thanksgiving dinner into the kind of feast that leaves everyone at the table asking for your secrets.

Letting the Turkey Rest: Secrets to Juicy Meat:
After hours of anticipation and that delightful oven aroma, it’s tempting to dive right into carving your masterpiece. But here’s a secret I’ve learned over the years – letting your roasted turkey rest is not just a suggestion; it’s essential for ensuring the juicy turkey of your dreams. When you pull your beautiful bird out, draped in its golden-brown skin, and set it on the cutting board, magic happens during the rest. The juices, having bubbled up to the surface during the roast, begin to redistribute throughout the turkey meat, especially in the breast meat and the thickest part of the thigh.
This process ensures that every slice is as succulent as the next. I recommend letting your turkey rest for at least 20 minutes under a loosely tented piece of aluminum foil, which is just the right amount of time to finish up those last-minute side dishes or to whip up a batch of turkey gravy. This simple step transforms a good turkey into the perfect Thanksgiving turkey – making all the difference between merely eating and truly feasting.

Please follow & like us: