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It is almost the Holiday season. We are ready to share some tips to make your Holidays a bit more MEANINGFUL.
Once upon a time, in a small town nestled in the countryside, there lived a close-knit community that cherished the spirit of Thanksgiving. The town was known for its warm-hearted residents who always found a way to come together and celebrate the joy of giving thanks. As the crisp autumn breeze swept through the town, preparations for Thanksgiving began. Families gathered in their kitchens, filling the air with the tantalizing aromas of roasted turkey, savory stuffing, and freshly baked pies. The local farmers proudly displayed their bountiful harvest at the town's market, a true testament to their hard work and the blessings of the season. In the heart of the town, the community center buzzed with excitement. Volunteers worked tirelessly to decorate the space, transforming it into a haven of warmth and gratitude. Tables were adorned with colorful autumn leaves, vibrant pumpkins, and flickering candles, creating an inviting atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. The day of Thanksgiving arrived, and the townsfolk dressed in their finest attire, their hearts filled with anticipation. The community center doors swung open, revealing a feast that could rival any royal banquet. The aroma of delicious food wafted through the air, enticing young and old alike. Families, friends, and neighbors streamed in, their faces alight with joy as they greeted one another with warm embraces. The sounds of laughter and cheerful conversations echoed throughout the room. The spirit of togetherness was palpable, as people from all walks of life came together under one roof to celebrate their blessings. The feast began, and plates were piled high with mouthwatering dishes. The room was abuzz with the clinking of cutlery and the chorus of "oohs" and "ahhs" as each person took their first bite. A sense of gratitude filled the air, as everyone acknowledged the blessings that surrounded them. As the day progressed, the spirit of giving became more apparent. The community center hosted a food drive, where residents donated non-perishable items to be distributed to those in need. The act of giving back to the community further deepened the sense of gratitude and unity that Thanksgiving brought. As the sun began to set, the townsfolk gathered in a circle, holding hands in a symbolic display of unity. Each person took turns expressing their gratitude, acknowledging the blessings they had received throughout the year. Stories of love, friendship, and resilience filled the air, reminding everyone of the strength that comes from coming together. The night concluded with music and dancing, laughter and smiles. It was a Thanksgiving to be remembered, a day that brought the town closer, fostering a sense of community and gratitude that would continue to thrive long after the holiday had passed. And so, in this small town, Thanksgiving was not just a single day of celebration. It was a reminder to give thanks every day, to cherish the bonds of friendship and community, and to embrace the spirit of gratitude that brings people together in times of joy and adversity.
Here is your turkey recipe:
Equipment
Ingredients
1 12-20 pound turkey*
1 onion , peeled and quartered
1 lemon , quartered
1 apple (your favorite kind), quartered
.75 ounce container fresh rosemary*
.75 ounce container fresh thyme*
.75 ounce container fresh sage*
For the herb butter:
1 cup unsalted butter , softened
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6-8 cloves garlic , minced
fresh chopped herbs
Instructions
If the turkey is frozen: Thaw in the fridge, 24 hours for every 5 pounds of Turkey. I like to give myself 1 extra day, just to be safe
Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge 1 hour before roasting, to let it come to room temperature.
Adjust your oven rack so the turkey will sit in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Make the herb butter by combining room temperature butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, one tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, one tablespoon fresh chopped thyme, and half a tablespoon of fresh chopped sage. (You’ll use the remaining fresh herbs for stuffing inside the cavity of the turkey)
Remove turkey from packaging and remove the neck and giblets from the inside the cavities of the bird. (Reserve them for gravy, if you want, or discard them). Pat the turkey very dry with paper towels.
Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Stuff it with the quartered lemon, onion and apple and leftover herbs.
Use your fingers to loosen and lift the skin above the breasts (on the top of the turkey) and smooth a few tablespoons of the herb butter underneath.
Tuck the wings of the turkey underneath the turkey and set the turkey on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan*.
Microwave the remaining herb butter mixture for 30 seconds (it doesn’t need to be completely melted--just really softened). Use a basting brush to brush the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the turkey, legs and wings.
Roast at 325 degrees F for about 13-15 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature (inserted on middle of thigh and breast) reaches about 165 degrees.
(I remove the turkey from the oven once it reaches 160 degrees. Then, I tent it with foil, and let it rest on the counter. It will continue cooking under the foil, to reach 165 degrees F.)
***Check the turkey about halfway through cooking, and once the skin gets golden brown, cover the top of the turkey with tinfoil, to protect the breast meat from overcooking. Alternately, you could start cooking the turkey with it tented in foil, then during the last hour or so of cooking you can take the foil off to let the turkey brown.
Allow turkey to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving. https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/how-to-carve-a-turkey/
Reserve any drippings and juice remaining in your roasting pan to make turkey gravy.
Notes Turkey Size: if you're cooking for a smaller crowd (or just like white meat), try my Turkey Breast recipe. Herbs: to substitute dried herbs, use 1 teaspoon dried herbs per 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs. Tips for covering with tinfoil: Start with the bird uncovered. Once the skin gets golden brown, tent the bird with a large piece of tinfoil. If you have a roasting pan, you can use the lid to the roasting pan instead. For Disposable Roasting Pan: Place fresh chopped vegetables on the bottom of the pan to act as a rack to elevate the turkey. Use 4-5 ribs of celery and 4 large carrots, roughly chopped. The veggies will add great flavor for your dripping to use for gravy however I don't recommend eating them or using them in gravy. For An Electric Roasting Oven: directions stay the same! Convection Oven: You can use the same method to cook the turkey in a convection oven, just check the temperature sooner (start checking after 2 hours) as it will cook faster. How to Carve a Turkey photos and Video. Nutrition Calories: 576kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 70gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 264mgSodium: 518mgPotassium: 765mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 565IUVitamin C: 5.4mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 2.9mg Any bacteria on the turkey will be killed in the hot oven while it bakes. Don’t brine the turkey. If you buy a high-quality turkey from the store then brining the turkey is an unnecessary step. You can do it if you want, but you can still achieve a deliciously moist turkey without brining it. Don’t baste the turkey. Basting is really unnecessary to produce a beautiful golden brown turkey. It also requires you to constantly open the oven, which causes the oven to loose heat and the turkey to take longer to cook–which could lead to a dry turkey. By smearing an herb butter mixture over the outer and inner skin of the turkey you will ensure the skin will brown beautifully, and taste amazing. Don’t cook stuffing inside the turkey. If you try to put stuffing/dressing inside the cavity of the bird, the turkey will be overcooked by the time the stuffing reaches a temperature that’s safe to eat. Instead, cook your stuffing in a casserole dish. Then you can fill the cavity of the turkey with things that will give it flavor (and add flavor to the drippings/stock): salt and pepper and any mixture of onion, apple, carrots, celery, or citrus. Do test the turkey with a thermometer. The only way to really tell if the turkey is cooked (165 degrees F), is by using a thermometer (I love this one). Test the turkey right from the oven—if it reaches 160 degrees F, I take it out and tent it with foil. It will continue to cook inside the foil tent to make up that extra 5 degrees. Do let the turkey rest. After removing the turkey from the oven, let it rest for at least 15 minutes, or up to 40 minutes (that gives you some extra time if you need to bake or warm anything else in the oven). If you’re using the drippings for gravy, remove the turkey from its pan, to a cutting board and tent it with foil while it rests there. If you’re not using the drippings, then just leave the turkey in the pan and tent with foil. You don’t need an expensive roasting pan. If you have a big metal roasting pan, great! If you don’t, no worries. Just use a casserole dish big enough to fit the bird, or buy a $1 disposable foil roasting pan from Walmart (then you can throw it away after). Place a bunch of chopped veggies on the bottom of your pan. The veggies will act like the wire rack in a regular roasting pan by elevating the turkey slightly. Place the turkey right on top of the chopped veggies. Do save the turkey drippings. After the turkey is finished cooking there will be juice and browned cooked bits at the bottom of your roasting pan. You can reserve all of it for making turkey gravy. You can also use the leftover neck and giblets you pull from the turkey when you remove it from the packaging, to make giblet gravy. The most flavorful gravy! Your grandma would be proud 😉 Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey on a large white platter with a knife carving into the breast meat of the turkey. How to prepare a simple roasted Thanksgiving turkey: First, remove the thawed turkey from it’s packaging. Remove the neck (usually found in the large cavity of the bird) and the bag of giblets (sometimes found in the smaller neck cavity of the bird). Discard them, or save them for gravy. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. The neck and giblets from inside the turkey cavity are being removed. Next, season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Stuff it with the quartered lemon, onion, apple and herbs. Four photos showing the cavity of the turkey being stuffed with salt, pepper, onion, apple, lemon and herbs. Tuck the wings of the turkey underneath the turkey and set the turkey on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan (or on top of a bed of chopped veggies —carrots, onion and celery work well—in a disposable roasting pan). Tucking the wings prevents them from
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