(A nearly foolproof) Herb Turkey

By K.E.

Ingredients and supplies:

 2 quarts chicken (or turkey) broth

 Store bought Turkey (breast or whole) (ButterBall© or HoneySuckle© work well)
 Please have at least ½ of a standard spice container ((0.25-0.30 oz.) of each of the following
spices:
 Rosemary
 Marjoram
 Tarragon
 Thyme
 Sage
 Salt (sea salt is recommended)
 EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) – Any brand will work, Delallo© works best...
 Deep roasting pan with a small metal rack to raise the turkey off the bottom of the pan (no lid
req'd)
 Butcher's twine (required if a metal or plastic clip was not provided to keep the legs trussed
together)

Preparation

Depending on the turkey, the company selling it may suggest different temperatures and times for
roasting depending on the size of the turkey. Please make note of the temperature and time for your
turkey's size that is provided by the company selling the turkey.

For the purpose of these directions, we will “assume” a temperature of 325° F

 Preheat your oven 50° higher than the recommended temperature for your turkey (if 325° F,
then preheat the oven to 375° F)
 After thawing the turkey, remove the neck and gizzards (innards).
 Remove the red meat from between the ribs of the turkey (you may need to dig it out with your
fingers). The meat is a very deep red in color, almost a maroon. If this meat isn't removed, it
will affect the taste of the turkey
 Wash the bird inside and out with cold running water to remove any red meat that may have
been dislodged with your fingers
 Dry the inside and outside of the turkey with paper towels
 Liberally salt the inside of the turkey (½ to 1 tbsp of salt)
 Place the metal grill in the bottom of the roasting pan, and place the turkey on the the metal grill
 Truss the legs with the metal clip or butcher's twine
 Tuck the wings under the turkey
 Rub the top, sides, legs, and wings of the turkey generously with EVOO (it may take on a slight
green tinge from the EVOO)
 Liberally apply, in order, Rosemary, Marjoram, Tarragon, Thyme. When done correctly, the
entire turkey will almost look completely covered by these spices. Don't be concerned if some
 of the areas around the legs and wings aren't coated completely. Focus on the breast and tops of
other areas (wings and legs).
 Lightly apply Sage until it “smells right”. The herb blend will smell slightly sweet and very
pleasant. Sage is a very strong herb, and needs to be used more sparingly than the other spices
for this “spice rub”
 Pour between 4-6 cups of broth in the bottom of the roasting pan

Cooking Directions:

 Place the roasting pan in the oven

 Cook for 1 hour (½ hour for turkey breast) at the elevated temperature
 WARNING! The broth will cause a lot of steam to build up in the oven. When opening the
oven door, be careful to avoid the steam.
 Baste the turkey.
 Lower the temperature to the recommended setting (If preheated to 375° F, lower it to 325° F)
 Baste the turkey EVERY 30 MINUTES until the pop up turkey timer pops, or the roasting
thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast meat reads 165° F . If the broth is getting
low, add additional broth.
 Please allow the turkey to rest at least 15 – 30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to
redistribute into the meat. Worry not! The turkey will be “piping hot” when you carve it.

Enjoy your golden brown herb turkey!

P.S. - the “drippings” make INCREDIBLE gravy!

The following chart contains approximate cooking times and temperatures for turkeys:

W
Whole Turkey Oven Cooking Time Temp when
(lbs) Temperature (hrs) fully cooked

4-8 325° F 2–3 160° F - 165° F

8 - 12 325° F 3-4 160° F - 165° F
12 - 16 325° F 4-5 160° F - 165° F
16 - 20 325° F 5-6 160° F - 165° F
20 - 24 325° F 6-7 160° F - 165° F

The information contained in the chart above can be found on cooks.com.

Cooking times may vary depending on the oven and how thawed the turkey is when it is placed in the
oven. Verify with the pop-up device in the turkey, or whatever thermometer is being used to ensure
that the turkey is fully cooked.