Ingredients:
1. 12 LB. Turkey (if you intend to brine your turkey, do it prior to starting this recipe). See our recipe for brining poultry-you may never have a dry turkey again!)
2. 2 TBS Spice Spice Baby’s Life is a Cabernet
3. 4 TBS. Softened unsalted butter or margarine.
4. 1 Stalk of celery, cut into 1 inch pieces.
5. 1 Onion, cut into 1 inch pieces.
6. 1 Large carrot, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces.
7. Salt and Pepper to taste.
Method:
Preheat oven to 450F.
1. On a fresh or fully thawed turkey, remove neck and giblets and dispose or set aside for later use.
2. Place the onion, carrot, and celery in the cavity. Do not overstuff, as this will make the cooking time longer.
3. Mix Spice Spice Baby’s LIfe is a Cabernet blend with the slightly softened butter. Massage the butter all over the outside of the turkey. Season with Kosher Salt and Black pepper.
4. Place the turkey in roasting pan, and roast uncovered for 30 minutes at 450F.
5. Remove the turkey from the oven, and reduce temperature to 350F. Cover the turkey with aluminum foil (tenting it).
6. Place it back in the 350F oven and roast until the thermometer reads 161F.
7. The temperature will raise a few degrees even after its out of the oven, going past the target temperature of 165F. The cooking time will take approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The cooking time will obviously vary depending on the size of the turkey you are roasting.
8. Once meat thermometer reads 161F, remove from oven and let rest for 30 minutes before carving. Resting is critical as it leads to a more moist result.
Commentary:
1. This recipe is based on roasting a 12lb turkey. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of your bird. The general rule of thumb is 20 minutes of oven time per pound of turkey.
2. I do not recommend filling your turkey with any kind of stuffing as it both increases the cooking time and could put you at risk of salmonella poisoning. Instead, bake your stuffing separately in a pan.