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An easy herb citrus turkey recipe.

Herb-Citrus Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey

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  • Author: Erin Jensen
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 hours 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 18 servings 1x
  • Category: Thanksgiving
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Herb-Citrus Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey – The foolproof method for the most delicious Thanksgiving Day turkey!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1822 pound turkey, rinse and remove neck and giblets
  • olive oil
  • 34 Tablespoons butter or ghee

Rub:

  • 4 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
  • 1 Tablespoon dry mustard
  • 1 Tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 ground black pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon kosher salt

Stuffing:

  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 stalks of celery, quartered
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 1 small orange, quartered
  • 5 sage leaves
  • 1 bunch of rosemary
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme

Baste Ingredients:

  • 2/3 dry white wine (optional – don’t use if you want it to be Whole30 compliant)
  • 2/3 cup butter or ghee, melted
  • 2/3 cup orange juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Combine Dry Rub Ingredients in a small bowl and Baste Ingredients in another small bowl; set aside.
  3. Place the whole turkey in a roasting pan with roasting rack. Ensure it is fully thawed and pat dry with clean paper towels.
  4. Rub 2 tablespoons of the seasoning inside the cavity along with the stuffing ingredients.
  5. Rub the outside of the turkey down with olive oil.
  6. Take the 3-4 Tablespoons of softened ghee or butter and rub all over the turkey (under the skin too, if desired).
  7. Take the remaining Dry Rub and rub all over the turkey skin.
  8. Loosely tent with aluminum foil.
  9. Roast for 14-16 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (use a meat thermometer) in the thickest part of the breast.
  10. Baste every 30 minutes with pan juices and Baste Ingredients.
  11. Remove foil for the last 30 minutes to brown the turkey.
  12. Remove from oven and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
  13. Carve and serve.

Notes

  • No Roasting Rack: you can always make a “rack” out of whole carrots and cut of onions.
  • Fully Thawed: Ensure your turkey is fully thawed or it will result in a longer cooking time.
  • Leftovers: We love this Turkey Pot Pie with Biscuits!