Traditional Roast Turkey

PREP: 20 minutes
ROAST: 3 hours
STAND: 15 minutes
OVEN: 425°F/325°F
MAKES: 24 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 12 to 14-pound turkey
1 tablespoon snipped fresh rosemary or
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme or
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 tablespoon snipped fresh sage or
1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh rosemary sprigs,
Fresh thyme sprigs,
Fresh sage leaves, and/or
Pomegranate pieces (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1- Heat the oven to 425°F. Remove the turkey’s neck and giblets. Rinse the inside of the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels. Combine clipped or dried rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Half of the herb mixture should be applied to the inside of the bodily cavity. Pull the neck skin to the back and secure it with a skewer. If accessible, tuck the ends of the drumsticks under the band of skin across the tail. If there is no skin band, bind the drumsticks to the tail with 100 percent cotton kitchen string. Twist the wing tips under the back.

2- Place the turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, breast side up. Brush the turkey with oil and season with the remaining herb mixture. Insert an ovenproof meat thermometer into the center of an inside thigh muscle if desired. The thermometer should not come into contact with any bone. Wrap the turkey loosely in foil.

3- After 30 minutes in the oven, reduce the temperature of the oven to 325°F. Roast for another 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the thermometer reads 180°F. Remove foil 45 minutes before the end of the roasting time and cut a band of skin or string between the drumsticks to ensure that the thighs cook evenly. When the turkey is done, the juices should run clear and the drumsticks should be able to move freely in their sockets.