Difficulty
Novice
Portions
8
Preparation Time
20 minutes
Cooking Time
2 hours
Ingredients
- ----For the Turkey----
- 1 whole turkey (12lbs)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary + 3 whole sprigs
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme + 3 whole sprigs
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 2 onions, quartered
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and fit a large roasting pan with a V-rack or any rack you have.
- Dry the turkey really well. Brush the turkey with the vegetable oil. Season the turkey all over with salt and pepper. Scatter the chopped rosemary and thyme all over the turkey and up under the skin of the breast.
- Place the turkey on the rack in the roasting pan.
- Tuck the thyme and rosemary sprigs, lemon and onions inside the turkey. Tent the turkey loosely with aluminum foil. Add about a half cup of water to the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Place the turkey in the oven and cook it for approximately 15 minutes per pound (about 3 hours for this 12lb turkey).
- When the turkey has approximately 1 hour of cooking to go, uncover the turkey. Turn the oven temperature up to 400°F. Baste it with any juices that have accumulated in the bottom of the roasting pan. Continue to cook the turkey until an instant read thermometer inserted into the mid thigh reads 160°F. If the turkey is browning too quickly, cover it again with the aluminum foil.
- Remove the turkey from the oven and allow it to rest for 15-30 minutes before carving.