Basic Roast Turkey

  in Main Dishes, Recipes, Thanksgiving

It takes about 15 minutes per pound to roast a turkey. A 12 lb turkey will take 3 hours to roast. Be sure to factor in turkey resting time when deciding what time you want to serve the meal.

Add aromatics to the cavity before roasting, if desired: 1/2 a lemon, 1 quartered onion, 1 chopped apple, fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage, etc.

1 10-12-lb turkey
1 stick butter
salt

  1. Remove the (thawed) turkey from the fridge and let it sit for about an hour to bring it up to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Pull the neck and giblets out of the cavity and save to make broth for homemade gravy. Dry the turkey with a clean kitchen towel, then season inside and out generously with salt. 
  2. Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan and brush with melted butter (You’ll probably need about 1/2 stick now and another 1/2 stick later.) Tent the turkey loosely with foil and roast for 2 hours*. 
  3. Remove the foil and baste with more melted butter. Roast for 1 more hour or until the meat at the thigh registers 165°F. 
  4. Remove from oven and let rest, loosely covered with foil, while you make the gravy and heat up your side dishes in the oven. The turkey will stay hot for a good 30-45 minutes. (Be sure to let it rest to let the juices be reabsorbed. If you cut it right away, the juices will run out and you’ll end up with a dry bird.)

* Add an extra 15 minutes per pound for bigger birds