WHAT HERBS FOR TURKEY RECIPES

Steps:

• 1.

  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove neck and giblets from turkey; discard or reserve for another use. Place turkey, breast-side up, on a roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack; set aside. 

• 2.

  Grate lemon to yield 1 teaspoon zest. Quarter lemons for turkey cavity; set aside. 

• 3.

  Combine oil, sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. 

• 4.

  Rub half of the oil and herb mixture under the skin on the breast of the turkey. Rub the rest of the mixture on top of the skin, legs, and wings. Sprinkle turkey cavity with additional salt and pepper; stuff with lemon and garlic. 

• 5.

  Tie drumsticks together with 100% cotton kitchen string. Twist wing tips under back.  Insert an oven-proof meat thermometer into the center of an inside thigh muscle. Thermometer should not touch bone. Cover turkey loosely with foil. 

• 6.

  Roast for 2-1/2 hours. Remove foil; cut kitchen strings between drumsticks so thighs cook evenly. Continue roasting 1 hour more or until internal temperature of innermost thigh, wing, and thickest part of turkey breast reaches 165 degrees and turkey is no longer pink. Juices should also run clear and drumsticks should move easily in their sockets. 

• 7.

  Remove turkey from oven. Cover with foil; let stand for 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with additional fresh herbs and oven-roasted lemons and garlic bulbs, if desired. 

Steps:

• Rub the surface of the turkey and sprinkle cavity with salt and pepper.
• Place 12 sprigs of thyme in cavity.
• In a large heavy roasting pan, place onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, peppercorns and remaining thyme sprigs.
• Place the turkey, breast side up, over the vegetables.
• Drizzle butter over turkey and sprinkle with minced herbs.
• Cover loosely with foil.
• Bake at 325*F for 2 1/2 hours.
• Remove foil; bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer, basting every 20 minutes.
• Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving.
• For gravy, add a couple of cups of stock to vegetables in pan and heat to deglaze.
• Strain into a saucepan and thicken with some flour and water.
• (I put some cold water into a jar, add a few TBS of flour, screw the lid on and shake it til it is well mixed. Then I strain it thru a tea strainer to keep any lumps of flour out).