Learn how to cook a turkey with this simple recipe. The biggest myth in American cookery is that a juicy, perfectly cooked turkey is difficult for the novice cook to achieve. Even if this is your first time, don't play scared; this will work! There is nothing to fear but the fear of dry turkey itself. Be sure to buy a meat thermometer before Thanksgiving; it will be the essential tool in the kitchen that day.
Ingredients
- medium onion: 1 piece (chopped)
- stalk celery: 1 piece (chopped)
- medium carrot: 1 piece (chopped)
- whole turkey, neck and giblets reserved: 1 piece (12 pound)
- kosher salt: 2 Tbsp
- ground black pepper: 1 Tbsp
- cayenne pepper: 1 tsp
- butter: 3 Tbsp
- sprigs fresh rosemary: 4 piece
- bunch fresh sage: 0.5 piece (chopped)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
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Place onion, celery, and carrot in a large, shallow roasting pan.
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Place turkey, breast-side up, on top of vegetables in the roasting pan. Pat outside and inside of turkey dry with paper towels.
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Combine salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Season inside of turkey with about 1/3 of the salt mixture. Fold wing tips under bird.
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Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until edges turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add rosemary and sage; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
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Place rosemary and sage inside cavity of turkey; reserve melted butter. Tie turkey legs together with twine.
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Brush melted butter over turkey. Season with the remaining salt mixture.
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Bake turkey, uncovered, in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and juices run clear, about 3 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
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Remove turkey from the oven and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
