Thanksgiving Turkey
Ingredients:
- One 11-pound turkey, thawed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1 Tablespoon pats
- 1 1/2 yellow onions, peeled and halved
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the salt, thyme, sage, paprika, pepper, and ground mustard until evenly incorporated. Remove the turkey from its packaging. From the bird’s cavity, remove the neck and the bag containing the gizzards and heart. (You can keep these items to make stock or discard them.)
- Lift the skin over the turkey breast (on the side closest to the legs) and slide your hand under the skin separating it from the breast meat. Do this on both sides of the breast. Insert three pats of butter under the skin on one side of the turkey breast spreading them around evenly. Repeat on the other side.
- Sprinkle the dry rub all over the turkey. Using your hands press the rub into the skin a little. If you have any extra rub sprinkle it inside the cavity. Place the onion halves and garlic cloves inside the turkey’s cavity.
- Take a large piece of foil and place it over the turkey breast. Press down and mold the foil to the breast.
- Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 2 hours. Carefully remove the foil from the turkey. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees and cook the turkey for another hour, or until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 165 degrees F and the skin is golden and crispy. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest briefly before carving.
Reserve Chardonnay
This subtle buttery white depicts light pastries and Key lime aromas with flavors accented by mineral and toasted marshmallows. Tropical notes linger on the tongue.