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Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 whole turkey (about 12 pounds), thawed if frozen, rinsed and patted dry, neck reserved (set aside giblets for stuffing, if desired)
- Cornbread And Sausage Stuffing
- 4 to 6 large carrots, halved crosswise
- 2 large onions, cut into 8 wedges
- 2 stalks celery, halved crosswise
Description
Preheat oven and make herb butter:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in the lowest position. Make herb butter: In a small bowl, mix together 4 tablespoons butter with chopped herbs; season generously with salt and pepper.
Prepare turkey:
Loosen skin: Working from the neck end, slide fingers under skin until you reach the end of the breast, being careful not to tear the skin; rub herb butter under the skin.
Fill neck cavity with stuffing:
Place turkey breast side down. Fill neck cavity with stuffing; avoid packing. Close up by folding skin over and fastening with skewers or trussing needles.
Tuck wings:
Turn turkey over; bend wing tips underneath bird so they stay in place (you may have to break the bones).
Stuff cavity:
Loosely fill large cavity with stuffing.
Tie legs:
Using cotton kitchen twine, tie legs together securely (they will overlap) so bird retains its shape and moisture during cooking.
Cut neck:
Cut neck into pieces
Prepare roasting pan:
Mix neck pieces with carrots, onions, celery, and 2 cups water in a large roasting pan. Set roasting rack over vegetables in pan.
Rub turkey with butter:
Lift turkey onto rack; rub with remaining tablespoon butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. Tent turkey loosely with foil.
Roast turkey:
Roast 1 hour, then baste every 30 minutes with pan liquids, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 125°F, about 3 hours. Remove foil; raise oven heat to 400°F. Continue roasting, basting occasionally, until thigh reaches 180°F, 45 to 60 minutes more. Tent with foil if bird browns too quickly; add more water if pan becomes dry.
Rest turkey before carving:
Transfer turkey to a serving platter; cover loosely with foil, and let it rest at least 30 minutes before carving.