How to Prepare the Perfect Turkey
Recipe, video and photography provided by Chef Billy Parisi.
If you’re responsible to preparing this year’s Thanksgiving turkey, fear not! It’s easier than you may think. And even if you’re a seasoned Thanksgiving professional, it never hurts to brush up on your skills.
The following tutorial will demonstrate how to properly prepare, stuff, and roast a premium whole turkey from Heinen’s for Thanksgiving. All you need is a handful of ingredients and a few hours to cook.
Let’s dig in!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Heinen’s fresh Two Brothers Turkey is CARE Certified, meaning it is raised in alignment with strict quality and animal welfare standards, just like all of Heinen’s beef, pork, and chicken. It arrives fresh, never frozen, from our trusted partner in Pennsylvania. Tom Heinen believes it’s the best turkey on the market. Discover all of Heinen’s holiday turkeys.
- The flavors are amazing! Bunches of fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme complement the orange and lemon that is stuffed inside the turkey.
- It’s covered in an easy-to-prepare herb butter mixture that will make your mouth water.
- This turkey is so easy to carve! Check out my tutorial: How to Carve a Turkey like a Pro.
How to Prepare the Perfect Turkey
Cook time: 3 hours 30 minutes Prep time: 25min Total time: 3 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 8-10
Ingredients
- 1 14-16 lb. Two Brothers CARE Certified fresh turkey, giblets removed
- 1 orange, sliced in half
- 2 lemons, sliced in half
- 1 small bunch fresh rosemary
- 1 small bunch fresh sage
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme
- 3 sticks Heinen's unsalted butter, softened
- 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
- 2 Tbsp. fresh sage, minced
- 2 Tbsp. fresh thyme, minced
- 6 garlic cloves, finely minced
- Yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (optional)
- 3 ribs of celery, roughly chopped (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Pat the turkey completely dry inside and out using paper towels.
- Season the inside cavity with salt and pepper. Place the oranges, lemons, and small bunches of rosemary, sage, and thyme into the cavity.
- Fold the turkey wings behind the bird, then place it on a rack in a large roasting pan.
- In a medium-size bowl, mix together the butter, minced fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper until combined. Ensure this mixture is extremely flavorful and well-seasoned.
- Evenly spread the herb butter on the turkey skin. Lift up the skin and place a good amount of the herb butter underneath, too.
- Tie the turkey drums together using butcher’s twine.
- Add the optional onions, celery, and carrots into the bottom of the pan and place on the bottom rack in the oven.
- Cook at 325°F for 3-3 1/2 hours or 15-17 minutes per pound. It should be browned on the outside and read 165°F internally in the thickest part of the turkey.
Note: If you notice that the turkey is turning brown too quickly, place a loose sheet of aluminum foil on top while it cooks in the oven.
