Maybe it’s the first time you’ll host Thanksgiving, or maybe it’s at your house once again. This year, don’t let the Thanksgiving turkey steal your holiday joy. Keep it simple and you’ll not only have a fabulous feast, but enough time to enjoy your guests as well!
Ingredients
- 1 12-14 pound turkey, fresh or thawed
- 1 whole apple, quartered
- 1 whole orange, quartered
- coarse salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 sticks butter, salted
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tablespoon thyme
Preheat the oven to 375º.
Start by preparing a butter rub. Beat together the butter, garlic, and thyme. Season with black pepper to taste.
Season the bird with coarse salt. Baste the entire turkey in the butter rub. Use about a 1/2 cup of the rub under the skin of the breasts. This will help trap the juices in the white meat. Sprinkle salt and pepper inside the cavity of the turkey and stuff with the orange and apple slices.
Place the turkey in a roasting pan and roast for about 45 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for another 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Baste the turkey in it’s own juices every 20 minutes to ensure that the bird doesn’t dry out. Cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers about 165º. Remove the aluminum foil and let it cook a little more if needed until it’s golden brown. Remove the turkey fro the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes before carving. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks for the great cooking tip, Regina. I’ve only ever baked one turkey in my life (I know, pitiful, huh)because we always have Thanksgiving at my mom’s house, and heaven forbid someone should take that pleasure from her! However, I’m going to bake one for my new blended family this year before everyone goes their separate ways for more turkey and dressing. I like the idea of the apples and oranges in the cavity for flavor. Thanks!
Hope they enjoy it! I’m a firm believer in ‘the simpler things always taste best.’ Happy Thanksgiving!