1/4 cup orange juice or the juice from half an orange
1 tsp kosher salt
Pepper to taste
For the Roast Turkey
1 whole turkey, about 12 lbs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, cut in half
1 orange, cut in half
1/4 cup fresh sage
1 head of garlic, broken into cloves (about 8 cloves)
2 cups turkey or poultry broth
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
Turkey neck, if comes with turkey (adds flavor to pan juices or gravy if making)
Directions
For the Orange and Sage Citrus Butter
Preheat oven to 325°F
In a medium sized bowl combine butter, garlic, shallot, sage, orange zest, juice, salt and pepper. Mix well.
For the Roast Turkey
Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Using your fingers or a spoon, carefully create a pocket under the skin of the breasts starting at the cavity side of the turkey. Fill the two pockets with the butter. Try as best you can to spread the butter out evenly over top of the breast meat. I find all this easiest to do inside the roasting pan.
Any remaining butter on hands or in bowl can be used to massage all over the outside of the turkey. Season the outside with salt and pepper.
Salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity and stuff with onion, orange, sage, and garlic cloves. Tie legs together with kitchen twine.
Add broth, celery, carrots, and turkey neck (if using) to bottom on roasting pan.
Transfer to oven and roast until internal temperature is 170°F. Make sure to baste turkey with pan juices 3-4 times during roasting time. You may need to add more broth or water if bottom of pan looks dry.
Rest turkey for 20 minutes before carving and strain out all pan juices for gravy.
Bon Appetit! Take a photo and share this recipe #ThinkTurkey
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