This recipe, adapted from The Ojai Cook®, uses a prepared herbed citrus mayonnaise to add flavor and give the skin a burnished look. While the original recipe calls for stuffing the turkey, I've opted to bake the accompanying Seasoned Crouton Stuffing outside of the bird, so that the bird won't overcook while the stuffing reaches a safe temperature.
Tip: Does the very idea of making the holiday turkey get you in a tizzy? Don't fret, and do check out these simple rules for cooking a perfect turkey.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours
Yield: Serves 12 to 14.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup vermouth or dry white wine
- 1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 or 3 tender inside celery ribs with tops, rinsed
- 1 lemon including rind, seeds removed, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary needles
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 12-14 pound fresh hen turkey
- 1 cup prepared herb mayonnaise, such as The Ojai Cook's Lemonaise® or Garlic & Herb Lemonaise®
- 1 recipe Seasoned Crouton Stuffing (see recipe link below)
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 325°. (Cooking Note: If you want to prepare and bake the Seasoned Crouton Stuffing while the turkey is roasting, raise the oven temperature to 350º F. The turkey will take less time to cook - about 2 3/4 to 3 hours.)
Place the chicken broth, vermouth, butter, celery, 4 lemon slices and herbs in the bottom of a roasting pan. Reserve a few rosemary needles and mix into the herbed mayonnaise.
Remove the bag of giblets, gizzard, and liver from inside the turkey cavity, then remove the neck. Refrigerate the giblets, neck, etc. and use within 2 days, (try them in homemade gravy) or discard.
Rinse the turkey inside and out, then pat it dry. Season the inside of the turkey cavity with sea salt and pepper, and place the remaining lemon slices into the main cavity. Fold the neck skin into the neck cavity. Tuck the wing tips under the bird and loosely tie the legs together with cooking twine.
Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan. Smear the mayonnaise generously on the breast, legs, and thighs of the turkey. Tent the turkey breast loosely with heavy duty aluminum foil. Roast 15-20 minutes per pound (about 3 to 3 3/4 hours total), basting occasionally.
Remove foil and cook the turkey uncovered for the last hour for a crisp golden skin. The turkey is done when an instant-read meat thermometerr inserted deep into the thigh and into the thickest part of the breast reaches 165° F (for accuracy, be careful not to touch the bones when measuring the temperature. Also, wash the thermometer before each measurement to avoid cross contamination).
When cooking is complete, remove the turkey form the oven, tent the pan loosely with foil, and let it rest for at least 20 minutes. Carefully remove the turkey from the pan and transfer it to a serving platter.
Pour the pan juices, along with any remaining herbs and turkey bits, into a saucepan. Let the fat rise to the top, skim, and discard. (You can also refrigerate the pan juices until the fat solidifies for easier removal.) Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the pan juices to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the juices reduce slightly. Serve as is, or puree the solids and the liquids for a thick, rich, flourless gravy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a gravy boat.
Serve the turkey and gravy alongside the Seasoned Crouton Stuffing. Enjoy!
The Ojai Cook® Tip: If you have an abundance of turkey gravy, pour into ice cube trays and freeze. Release individual cubes as needed to flavor soups, sauces, rice, etc.