Excellent and Easy Roasted  Fresh  Turkey

Click here to download our Turkey Tips brochure!

~Cook stuffing separately… not in Turkey Cavity~ *

*add 15 to 30 min. to cooking time if you do stuff turkey.  Stuffing must reach 165 degrees

Tips:  

• Oven: @ 325 degrees
• Timing:  Average 15 minutes per pound
• Pull from Oven:  at 165 degrees
• Test Temperature: w/ Meat Thermometer stuck in the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone
• Rest: 20 to 30 minutes under loose foil tent ~juices will settle and carving will be simpler

Ingredients:

• Fresh Bernard’s Turkey from LEHR’S PRIME MARKET
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• 1 Large Bunch of Fresh Thyme
• 1 Lemon - halved
• 1 Red Onion - quartered
• 1 Head Garlic - halved crosswise
• 4 Tablespoons Butter - melted 
• Lehr’s  Route 50 Seasoning or favorite seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 325 degrees.
2. Remove Giblets from both cavities.  Wash Fresh Turkey inside and out.  Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers.  Pat the in-side and outside of the Turkey dry.
3. Place the Turkey BREAST SIDE UP in a large roasting pan (on a roasting rack if you have it).  Liberally Salt and Pepper the inside of the Turkey cavity.  Loosely stuff the cavity with fresh Thyme, Lem-on, Red Onion & Garlic.  
4. Brush the outside of the Fresh Turkey with Melted Butter and sprinkle with Kosher Salt and Black Pepper. Massage liberal amounts of  Route 50 Seasoning, or seasoning of your choice, into the skin of the bird.  Tie the legs together w/ butcher’s string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the Turkey. 
   • Interested in even more flavor???  See Compound Butter Recipe below. To be massaged between the skin and meat of the Turkey.
5. Roast the Turkey at 325 degrees, basting from time to time with the pan juices until the Turkey juices run clear when you cut be-tween the leg and the thigh and Turkey temps out at 165 degrees.  Remove the Turkey to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil.  Let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.  Slice Turkey, serve HOT.

Compound Butter:  4 T. to be massaged between Turkey Skin & Meat.  The remainder is wonderful on warm rolls and bread. 

COMPOUND BUTTER:  

• 1 pound Butter - softened
• 3 T. EVOO, 
• FINELY CHOP ALL FRESH HERBS… 
• 2 T. Fresh Sage - chopped, 1 T. Fresh Chives - chopped, 
• 1 T Fresh Thyme - chopped, 1 T. Fresh Rosemary - chopped.

1. Blend the Butter & EVOO thoroughly first, then add the herbs.
2. If you like, use 4 T. to massage between Turkey Skin & Meat.
3. Spoon compound butter into parchment paper and roll into a log.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
4. Excellent on Mashed Potatoes, Dinner Rolls, Crusty Breads

PRIME TURDUCKEN COOKING SUGGESTIONS 

Pre-heat your oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit. Place Turducken on a rack in a roasting pan.  If you don’t have a rack, cut up several carrots, on-ions and celery stalks.  Put the vegetables on the bottom of the roasting pan and place the Turduck-en on top of the veggies.  Add Water and/or White Wine just to cover the bottom of the pan.  Make sure the Turducken isn’t sitting IN the wine/water but is elevated above with the rack OR the veg-gies. 

The Prime Turducken is flavorful on it’s own due to the 3 Birds, the Bread Dressing and Wicked Wild Rice between the poultry layers.  If you desire more flavor, sprinkle the outer skin of the Turduck-en with salt and pepper, or use the Compound Butter recipe (opposite).  Purchase herbed butter here or make at home.  Liberally massage into the skin of the Turducken. 

Once your oven is to temp (350 degrees), place the prepared roasting pan w/ Turducken (per above) in the center of the oven.

After the first hour, baste using a mix of it’s own juices and the wine/water in the bottom of the pan. Baste and check internal temperature approxi-mately every 30 to 45 minutes.

Roast until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Plan on approximately 

20 minutes per pound BUT… as all ovens vary, the internal temperature of your Turducken is the most important variable!  Place the thermometer into the center of the roast to get the most accurate read-ing.

Your Turducken will be somewhat fragile when hot (no bones to add structure).  With strong spatu-las supporting the Turducken from below, carefully transfer the roast to a cutting board or serving plat-ter. Loosely tent with foil and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.

When carving, be sure to make your slices cross-wise so that each slice contains all three meats, the dressing and the rice.