Roast Turkey
A no-fail, classic Thanksgiving recipe straight from Mrs. Leonard's own kitchen. The orange zest brings an unexpected ZING to the bird!
Servings: 14 to 16
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours
Total Time: Approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 Stew's Turkey (about 16 pounds) rinsed and patted dry
- 2 Tbsp. Orange Zest
- 2 Tbsp. chopped Rosemary
- 2 Garlic Gloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Stew's Kosher Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Stew's Fine Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Stew's 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Onions, quartered
- 2 Rosemary sprigs
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F
- In a small bowl, combine the orange zest, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir in about 1/2 of the oil.
- Loosen the skin on the breast and legs of the turkey. Rub the orange zest mixture under the skin. Rub the remaining oil over the turkey skin. Place the quartered onion and rosemary sprigs in the cavity of the turkey
- Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasted pan and bake for 3 to 4 hours. Check the temperature in three places (the breast, inside thigh, and outer thigh) with an instant-read thermometer. The meat should be at least 165°F when the turkey has finished cooking. Shield the breast meat with foil if needed to keep it from overcooking or getting too browned.
- Tent the turkey loosely with aluminum foil and rest for about 30 minutes. This will make the turkey easier to carve and taste juicier.