Never-Fail, Moist Thanksgiving Turkey

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Preparation time: 30 minutes + overnight
Cook time: 5 hours
Rest time: 1 hour
Total time: 6.5 hours + overnight
Yield: This recipe is for an 18 lb. turkey but you would only have to adjust the baking time if the turkey is larger or smaller

Ingredients:
  • 18 lb. Turkey
  • 1 cup salt
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
Butter Mix:
  • 1 cup (two cubes) butter
  • 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp. lemon zest
Stuffing:
  • 1 lemon, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Directions:
  1. Mix the ingredients for the butter mix really well until the oil works into the butter.
Prepare the turkey:
  1. Thaw the turkey in ice water in a deep sink or pan so the turkey is covered. Salt the water with 1 cup of salt. I did this overnight. Remove neck and giblets
  2. In the morning, rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey in a roasting pan and tuck the wings under the bird so they don't burn. Loosen skin on top of the bird gently so as not to break the skin.
  3. Place 2/3 of the butter mixture under the skin and then use the skin to spread it around as evenly as possible. Then rub the rest of the butter mixture on top of the skin all over the bird. Drizzle the whole turkey with olive oil. Stuff the turkey with one cut-up lemon and 1 cut-up onion and 1/4 cup parsley. Sprinkle the bird with salt and pepper generously
  4. Cook turkey in the oven at 430 degrees for 30 minutes
  5. Pull the pan out and baste the turkey with the juices in the bottom of the pan. Turn the oven to 350 degrees and tent the turkey with foil. Do not allow the foil to touch the bird. bake for 4 1/2 hours.
  6. When done, Turkey should rest on the counter for 1 hour covered with foil. Carve the turkey as desired and serve.
*Recipe and picture provided by Christine Christensen

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