OVEN ROASTED TURKEY
I’ve been using this easy recipe for years, and it always produces the most flavorful, juicy turkey with a golden, crispy skin. Allow yourself time for the salt brine. You’ll want to start on Monday if you’re preparing for Thanksgiving dinner.
Oven Roasted Turkey
Serves 12-15
I used fresh sage in this recipe but feel free to substitute your favorite herbs and spices. Thyme, rosemary, paprika, lemon, or combinations of any of them work wonderful for this!
Ingredients
1 (12-16 pound) turkey
salt and pepper
finely chopped fresh sage
turkey-size plastic oven bag (or you can use a 2 1/2 gallon sealable plastic bag)
Directions
Remove giblets and neck from inside thawed turkey, drain juices from cavity, then blot completely dry inside and out of bird with paper towels.
For every 5 pounds of turkey, measure out 1 Tablespoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and 1 Tablespoon of chopped sage. Combine seasoning in small bowl.
Season the turkey all over with the salt mixture, going heavier on the breasts and thighs. Rub a little bit inside the cavity, as well.
Place seasoned turkey in a turkey-sized plastic oven bag, press out the air and seal tightly. (These bags come with 2 per box, so I like to seal the turkey in the first bag, then wrap turkey in the second bag as well to prevent leakage.)
Place bagged and seasoned turkey in the refrigerator and chill for three days. Once a day, turn turkey and massage salt into the skin. On the last day, chill breast-side-down.
At least eight hours before roasting, remove turkey from bag and place breast side up on a plate or roasting pan and continue to chill in the refrigerator to dry it out. (I usually do this step before I go to bed , making it closer to 12 hours.) This is the secret to that crispy skin.
Remove dried turkey from refrigerator and let sit for at least one hour at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan and place in oven. After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and roast until thermometer inserted into the deepest part of thigh (but not touching the bone) reads 165 degrees (about 2 3/4 hours total roasting time.)
Your turkey will probably accomplish it’s browning before it finishes cooking. When you feel it’s reached that perfect golden brown color, tent turkey loosely with foil and continue cooking until temperature reads 165 degrees.
Remove turkey from the oven and transfer to a platter or carving board. Tent loosely with foil and let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve.
