Super Simple, Super Easy, Super Yummy Turkey!

BEST EVER, SUPER EASY, SUPER YUMMY TURKEY!

This is the best ever, easiest turkey you will ever make! My husband cannot boil water, but I have complete faith he could prepare this turkey following my easy step by step method. What I love about this is that the turkey is spectacular, and super simple, which allows more time to enjoy the people I am most grateful for in my life. Family, friends, and precious children!

I have been cooking holiday Turkey’s since I was about 12 years old! I have followed many different methods, but finally settled on my own super easy method. Our extended family is quite large, and one year I cooked for close to 100, and prepared five turkeys! Yes, you heard me right, 5!

That year, I figured out a trick that I use time and time again. I pre-cooked 3 of the turkey’s and used my handy dandy vacuum packer to keep them uber fresh. I simply placed the bag in boiling water to reheat, and placed the pre-cooked turkey among the freshly carved bird, and no one was the wiser! Vacuum pack is quite the lifesaver, and not just for bulk shopping! Let’s get going on this turkey. Moist and delicious, it is sure to be a hit! I do not stuff my turkey’s, as I feel it dries the turkey, and I don’t like mushy stuffing!

And this is how I package my turkey, when I make more than one, and start the day before. Just place special bag in boiling water brought down to a simmer for about 10 minutes, and no one is the wiser.

When preparing the turkey for cooking, keep the area super clean, and wash your hands with soap often! I use paper towels to clean up the counter with a kitchen spray, so that I don’t risk bacteria with a kitchen towel or sponge.

Now I know there are all sorts of new ways to make your turkey, and more power to you! But I have been at homes with failed turkey disasters ( deep fried, two hour, smoked), where we ended up just eating side dishes, and since I cook for many, I stay with tried and true!

Remove neck and giblets from body and neck cavities of turkey. Rinse turkey and pat dry turkey with paper towels. You can turn wings back to hold neck skin against back of turkey.

Place turkey, breast side up, on a flat roasting rack in a shallow pan.

I used a Butterball Turkey thawed, and approximately 20 pounds. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

The list of Ingredients:

Sage
Thyme
Onion
Lemons
Parsley
Cranberry Juice
Apple Juice
Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Fresh Garlic
Kosher Salt
Herbes de Provance
carrots
celery
kosher salt

Since I did not use exact measurements outside of the juices and olive oil, I hope these photos help you! For the juices (Apple, Cranberry, Lemon), and olive oil, it is a cup of each.

I stuffed the bird with lemon, carrots, and celery, as well as sage, parsley, and thyme, and fresh quartered lemon. No need to chop more than pictured, as this is to infuse flavor while cooking. Place in the cavity both front, and bottom.

Meanwhile, the juices and oil together with chopped onion, and full garlic glove, 3 Tablespoons of kosher salt, as well as 1/3 cup of Herbes de Provance are blended together in the blender on high speed.

Carefully pour contents of blender over turkey, and let slowly flow into cavity. Use the whole thing. Pour one cup of water at the bottom of the pan to keep from drying out.

Place your thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh (dark meat cooks the slowest), and cover the entire pan with foil.

Place your turkey in the oven, close the door, and WALK AWAY! Step away from the bird… No every 15 minute basting business! STEP AWAY! This bird will take about 4.5 – 5 hours. At about 3.5 hours, remove the foil, and go ahead and baste if the mood strikes you. But just this once! When the internal Temperature reaches between 165-170, remove the turkey, recover with foil, and let sit. The turkey will continue to cook, and come to a healthy 175-180 degrees. I usually time my turkey to be ready an hour before serving, so that you can re-heat the rest of your meal, and the turkey has a chance to become the yumminess that it is destined for! You may again baste if you like, while your turkey rests, This is when all of the juices regroup and re-distribute throughout the bird. Please do not be tempted to take a knife to it before it rests! You will have DRY turkey!

Look at this beauty! Basted just once outside the oven.

If you allowed the turkey to sit, carving is a juicy breeze. Here is my turkey plated, and ready for the buffet.

Thanksgiving blessings from my kitchen to yours.

Author’s note. This is a re-publish for the last 15 years. -2018