by holidaycook
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How to Roast a Turkey

roasted turkey

• Purchase a ~12 pound whole turkey

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)

• Clean the turkey by getting rid of any organs or giblets

• Put the turkey in a rack inside of a roasting pan

• In a small mixing bowl, add 1 stick of softened unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons of garlic powder, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 1 teaspoon of ground sage, 1-2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper

• Once the seasonings are all mixed, use your hands to lift the skin from the meat of the turkey and spread the seasoned butter inside and all around

• Save a bit of butter to also cover the whole outside of the turkey. Feel free to be generous in spreading this butter mixture

• Once the turkey is covered with the seasoned butter, lightly pour a topping of olive oil and the sprinkle a bit of salt again as the last touch

• Quarter watery/juicy fruits to place inside the turkey, like oranges, lemons, apples, and tomatoes (this will help the turkey retain some moisture)

• In the bottom of the roasting pan (under the rack), fill the rack ~1.5 - 2 inches with stock or broth

• Put the turkey pan inside the oven at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) to begin baking

• During the baking process, be sure to baste all over the turkey every 30 minutes with the broth at the bottom of the pan

• Bake for 3 - 3.5 hours (or until a thermometer inside the thickest part of the turkey reads 180 degrees F/82 degrees C)

• After the turkey is finished baking, let it sit for 20-30 minutes before you carve it

This checklist was created by holidaycook

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