Ingredients
- 20 pounds turkey
- 8 fresh rosemary sprigs (each 6 to 8 in. long), rinsed
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 (8 ounce) onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 (5 ounce) lemons, rinsed and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/3 cup olive oil or melted butter
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tablespoon shredded lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon coarse-ground pepper
- Salt
Directions
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Remove and discard leg truss from turkey.
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Pull off and discard any lumps of fat. Remove giblets and neck (they’re often packed in neck or body cavity) and save for gravy.
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Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry.
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Fill body cavity loosely with rosemary sprigs, garlic, onion, and lemons: if they don’t all fit, tuck remaining into neck cavity. Fold skin flap under to hold in place.
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In a small bowl, mix olive oil, chopped rosemary, lemon peel, and pepper. Rub mixture all over turkey.
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Place turkey, breast up, on a V-shaped rack in a 12- by 17-inch roasting pan (or one that is at least 2 in. longer and wider than the bird). Insert a meat thermometer straight down through thickest part of breast to the bone. (If using an instant-read thermometer, insert when checking temperature.)
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Roast 2 to 3 hours.
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Remove herbs and vegetables from cavities and discard.
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Transfer turkey to a platter. Let stand in a warm place, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, then carve. If thigh joints are still pink (common in an oven-roasted bird), cut drumsticks from thighs, place thighs in a baking pan, and bake in a 450 degree oven until no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes, or put on a microwave-safe plate and cook in a microwave oven at full power (100%) for 1 to 3 minutes.