No-Fail Turkey

Once again it is that turkey time of year. This is either the third or fourth year now I have made the Turkey using this particular recipe and it always turns out juicy and tender. I guess there is a reason they call it a no fail turkey recipe. It is a relatively easy recipe, and it is delicious every time.

To begin, I remove the turkey from the refrigerator (fully thawed) an let sit out for about an hour to bring the skin area to room temperature. This makes it easier to separate the skin layer from the breasts and sides of the turkey. We remove the neck and giblets and then pat the turkey dry. Salt and pepper the cavity of the turkey. Preheat the oven to three hundred and fifty degrees. We are going to fill the cavity (but not to full that it restricts airflow) with a medium onion, peeled and quartered, one lemon, quartered, and two to three sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and sage. The turkey can then either be placed on a baking rack inside the roasting pan or (as I prefer) placed on a bed of one onion, peeled, and quartered, two large carrots roughly chopped, and three to four stalks celery, roughly chopped.

Now is the fun part. In a bowl we are going to mix three quarter cup of unsalted butter that has been set out to room temperature. Six cloves of garlic minced (or more if you like garlic the way we do). Salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, and thyme finely chopped. We slide our hand underneath the skin to separate it from the turkey and then we rub about a third of the herb butter all over the breasts and sides under the skin. The remaining herb butter is then rubbed all over the outside of the turkey.

Place the turkey in the preheated oven (uncovered) and cook for approximately fifteen minutes per pound. About three quarters way through cooking, if turkey is beginning to get too brown, place a foil tent over the top. Once it is done cooking (internal temperature should be 165), let sit for twenty to thirty minutes before carving. Enjoy.

I am sure that you noticed that I also added a picture of my Banana Cream Pie and Pumpkin pie. You can find the recipes for those on the Ken Cooks page of my website. I have not put the turkey recipe on there yet, but here is an embed of my Pinterest .