This is the way that we have cooked turkey for the last few times we have a big holiday meal. This was adapted from a recipe from Food Network and one from the Longaberger Cookbook (yep...the basket people).
Ingredients
1 (8 to 12 pound) turkey (frozen is fine...but hey, defrost it in time)
2 tbs Rosemary (dried)
2 tbs Thyme (dried)
2 tbs Parsley (dried)
2 tbs Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
2 tsp Black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme (3/4 oz.)
1 lemon, halved
4 medium Yellow onions - three are quartered and one peeled and cut into 1/4" slices for the bottom of the pan)
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
6 tablespoons unsalted (3/4 stick) melted butter
1 cup of hot Water
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Slice one onion and place it on the bottom of a roasting pan.
3. Take the giblets and neck out of the turkey and place the turkey in a large roasting pan.
4. Using half the kosher salt and pepper, put the mixture on the inside of the turkey cavity. Then stuff with fresh thyme, lemon (halved), three remaining onion (quartered), and the garlic (halved).
5. Brush the outside of the turkey with melted butter.
6. Mix the dried rosemary, thyme, parsley and remaining salt and pepper. Spread the spice mixture over the turkey (it will stick to where the butter is). Depending on the size of the turkey, you might need more more or less spice mixture.
7. Place the turkey in the oven and reduce the heat to 325 degrees. Roast the turkey (using the directions on the package). For a ten pound turkey, it cooked in around 3 hours. Baste the turkey every 20 minutes pan juices.
8. Remove the turkey when the indicator pops. Cover with foil and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
