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a golden roast turkey on a platter at a holiday table in a wide horizontal shot, crispy burnished skin garnished with herbs and citrus, candles and pine around the table, warm festive light, shallow depth of field, landscape orientation

Perfect Roast Turkey by Jamie Oliver

A turkey rubbed with herb butter and roasted to juicy perfection.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole turkey 12 lb
  • 0.75 cup butter softened
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh herbs
  • 1 lemon halved
  • 1 onion quartered
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Pat the turkey dry and loosen the skin over the breast with your fingers.
  2. Mash the butter with the herbs, salt, and pepper, then rub it under and over the skin.
  3. Stuff the cavity with the lemon and onion.
  4. Roast at 325F, basting occasionally, for about three hours until a thermometer reads 165F in the thigh.
  5. Tent with foil and rest the turkey 20 minutes before carving.

Notes

Letting the turkey rest is the secret to slices that stay juicy instead of drying out.