The Perfect Turkey

 

It's important to know how to bake a turkey with all of the holidays and occasions that come with them, so why does it have to be so hard? "This turkey is too dry - this turkey is undercooked - when should I start preheating the oven?" Throw in all of the other holiday distractions and it's enough to make you want to order in.

This is the year it all changes. With this recipe, make 2017 the year of the perfect turkey dinner!

It's only January, so you have plenty of time to practice!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley
  • 2 tablespoons ground dried rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons rubbed dried sage
  • 2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
  • 1 (15 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 orange, cut into wedges
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
  • 1 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a turkey roaster with long sheets of aluminum foil that will be long enough to wrap over the turkey.
  2. Stir together the parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture into the cavity of the turkey, then stuff with the celery, orange, onion, and carrot. Truss if desired, and place the turkey into the roasting pan. Pour the chicken broth and champagne over the turkey, making sure to get some champagne in the cavity. Bring the aluminum foil over the top of the turkey, and seal. Try to keep the foil from touching the skin of the turkey breast or legs.
  3. Bake the turkey in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear. Uncover the turkey, and continue baking until the skin turns golden brown, 30 minutes to 1 hour longer. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Recipe courtesy of AllRecipes.