Easy No Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey

1 12-20 lb. turkey

1 onion, peeled and quartered

1 lemon, quartered

1 apple, quartered

.75-oz. container fresh rosemary, divided

.75-oz. container fresh thyme, divided

.75-oz. container fresh sage, divided

Coarsely chopped vegetables: 4-5 ribs celery and 4 large carrots

 

Herb butter:

1 c. unsalted butter, softened, room temperature

1 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

6-8 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. fresh chopped rosemary 

1 T. fresh chopped thyme

1/2 T. fresh chopped sage

If the turkey is frozen, thaw in the fridge, 24 hours for every 5 lbs. of turkey. Give one extra day, just to be sure.

Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge 1 hour before roasting, to let it come to room temperature.

Adjust oven rack so the turkey will sit in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Make the herb butter: combine softened butter, salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and sage. 

Remove turkey from packaging and remove neck and giblets from inside the turkey. (No need to wash; cooking the turkey kills any bacteria.) Pat the turkey very dry with paper towels.

Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Stuff it with the quartered lemon, onion, apple, and remaining herbs.

Optional: Loosen the skin over the breasts and smooth a few T. butter underneath the skin.

Place coarsely chopped vegetables in roasting pan. Add a little water. Set the turkey on top of the vegetables. 

Rub the rest of the herb butter all over the outside of the turkey, including legs and wings.

Roast at 325 degrees for 13-15 min. per pound. Check the turkey about halfway through cooking; once the skin gets golden brown, tent with tinfoil to prevent the breast meat from overcooking. (Alternatively, tent the turkey to start, then remove the tinfoil during the last hour of cooking to allow browning.) 

DO NOT open oven frequently to check turkey or baste it; that's what makes it dry and tough.  

Remove turkey to platter to rest once cooking is complete. Discard vegetables from roasting pan. Reserve drippings and juice from the pan to make gravy. 

Adapted from tastesbetterfromscratch.com.