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Turns out, there's no historical indication that the original Thanksgiving meal (at Plymouth colony) centered around the turkey. However, by the turn of the 19th century, turkey became a popular dish to serve on special occasions for a few reasons: 1) There was no shortage of turkeys. Some estimate there were at least 10 million turkeys in America at the time. 2) A single turkey was typically big enough to feed an entire family. 3) Turkeys on a family farm were nearly always available to slaughter, unlike cows and hens (producing milk and eggs throughout their lives). This Classic Roasted Turkey is perfect! It's simple, flavorful, juicy, and is sure to please those around your table.
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Ingredients
- 1 (12-14-pound) whole turkey, thawed, if frozen
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground pepper, to taste
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 carrot, cut into chunks
- 1 stalk celery, cut into chunks
- 3 sprigs sage, plus 1 tablespoon sage leaves, chopped
- 3 sprigs thyme, plus 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons paprika
Directions
Step 1 -Let the turkey sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Step 2 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. If possible, remove all but one oven rack, leaving it in the bottom position.
Step 3 -Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey and set them aside for the gravy, if desired.
Step 4 -Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and season inside and out with the salt and the pepper.
Step 5 -Stuff the cavity with the onions, the carrots, the celery, the sage sprigs, and the thyme sprigs.
Step 6 -Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Tying the legs is essential to ensure even cooking throughout the meat.
Step 7 -Put the turkey on a rack set in a large roasting pan and tuck the wings under the body.
Step 8 -Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk the paprika, the remaining chopped sage, and the remaining chopped thyme into the melted butter.
Step 9 -Let the herb butter cool slightly, then brush it all over the turkey. Try to make sure every exposed part of the turkey gets buttered.
Step 10 -Transfer the turkey to the oven and roast for 1 hour.
Step 11 -After 1 hour, baste the turkey with the drippings at the bottom of the roasting pan.
Step 12 -Continue roasting for about 2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes, until the skin is golden-brown and a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh reaches 165 degrees F.
Step 13 -Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board.
Step 14 -Let it rest for 30 minutes before carving. Reserve the drippings for a gravy, if desired.
Step 15 -Serve with your favorite sides and dressing!
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