Ingredients
For the seasoned butter
- ¾ cup salted butter softened
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried sage rubbed
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary lightly crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the turkey
- 1 whole turkey 18 to 22 lb, fully thawed
- 1 onion cut in quarters
- 2 stalks celery 2 to 3 stalks, cut in pieces
- 1 Granny Smith apples cut in quarters
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Sunvivi Roaster Oven I love having a separate roaster oven for the holidays. It makes it so much easier when the turkey can cook on its own and the oven is still free for other items.
Method Start Cooking
- Mix all the seasoned butter ingredients together.
- Take the neck and giblets out of the turkey and pat it dry.
- Gently loosen the skin over the breast with your fingers and spread some of the seasoned butter underneath it. Rub most of the rest all over the outside, and put what's left inside, with the onion, celery, and apple.
- Preheat the roaster to 325°F and roast according to your roaster's directions for the weight of your turkey. Five hours is my maximum, for a 25 lb bird; a smaller turkey needs less. Start checking well before you expect it to be done.
- It's done at 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh and wing.
- Lift it out, set it on the counter, and tent it loosely with foil. Let it rest at least 30 minutes before you carve, so the juices stay in the meat. Save the drippings for the gravy.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Turkey breasts instead: in the video I used three boneless turkey breasts, about 5 pounds each, because it was too early in the season for big whole turkeys at my store. Set them on top of the apples, onions, and celery, smear them with softened butter, sprinkle on the herbs, salt, and pepper, and roast at 325°F for about 3 hours, until they reach 165°F. Bone-in takes longer.
No roaster? Roast it in the oven at 325°F. An unstuffed 18 to 20 lb turkey takes about 4 to 4¼ hours; 20 to 24 lb, about 4½ to 5 hours. Start checking 30 to 45 minutes early.
Plan on about 1 pound of bone-in turkey per person. For extra turkey and leftovers, I add a fully cooked turkey breast from Costco and warm it in the oven following the package directions.
Crush the dried rosemary and thyme between your fingers as you add them. I feel like it releases the flavor.
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