Garaunteed Tender Turkey

prep time:: 10 minutes
total time:: 2-3.5 hours

Makes 1 turkey

I found this on a google search & it was perfect. This turkey fell apart into juicy morsels when I removed it from the pan. They key is to roast it breast side down. If you turn it at the end the breast gets golden, but everything stays moist. Remember to bring turkeys to room temperature before roasting.There are temperature changes during cooking time, so read through the recipe before putting in the bird.

ingredients

1 turkey 8-15 pounds
1 lemon, halved
1/2 an onion, chunked
two carrots rough chopped
1/2 bunch parsley
tops & ends of celery bunch
1 1/2 sticks of butter
8 leaves of sage, or a few stalks of rosemary or thyme.

directions

1
Heat your oven to 400 degrees Farenhiet.Melt 1/2 stick of butter & set aside.
2
Rinse out and pat dry your turkey, removing the packet of gizzards, heart & liver. Rub the inside generously with the lemon. Stuff half the onion, the carrots, celery,parsley & herbs into the cavity of the turkey. Block the end with aluminum foil to prevent the veggies from falling out, and fold the neck skin up over the neck. Tuck the wings up and tie to turkey with kitchen string. Place breast side down on a roasting rack over your roasting pan.Put the rest of the onion around the pan. Pour butter over turkey and cook at 400 degrees for 30 minutes,at 350 for the next 2 hours. For the last 30 minutes flip the bird breast side up and lower temperature to 225. Ever 30-40 minutes, pull out the bird and rub down with the butter. When the thermometer reads 175 at the thigh and 165 at the breast, your turkey is done!

notes

I roasted mine @ 400, buttering every 30 minutes.It was done in 2.5 hours w/o temp changes.If you don't have a rack, anything that will lift the turkey off the pan will work-veggies, burner covers, cake pan bottoms,make a V in the pan & place the bird in.

Source: Elise and her mom