Rosemary Roast Turkey

Ingredients

  • 1 whole turkey, raw, ~12 lbs
  • 5 medium garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium lemon, cut in half
  • 4 fresh rosemary sprigs (4 to 6 inches long)

Directions

  1. Finely chop garlic cloves and mix with rosemary.
  2. Take out and throw away the leg truss from the turkey. Remove and throw away lumps of fat. Take out giblets and neck. Wash the bird inside and out; pat dry with towels.
  3. Massage oil on the surface of the bird. Squeeze juice of one lemon half into body cavity and place the peel in. Squeeze the juice of the other lemon half on the surface.
  4. Gently loosen skin from the meat by inserting fingers, beginning at the neck and gently pushing.
  5. Rub ½ rosemary/garlic mixture between skin and meat. Place remainder of rosemary and garlic inside the body cavity.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350o F.
  7. Lay turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack. Bake 1 ½ to 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads at least 160o F. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
  8. Garnish turkey platter with extra rosemary sprigs for a decorative element.

Yield: 12 servings
Serving Size: 6 oz.
Source: BWH Pavilion

roast turkey nutrition label

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