Roast Turkey

Ingredients:

- 1 15 lb whole turkey, thawed

- 1 onion, halved

- 1 lemon, halved

- 1/4 cup vegetable oil or unsalted butter

- 1 tbsp thyme

- 1 tbsp sage

- 1 tbsp rosemary

- 2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

- 2 cloves garlic, peeles

- 2 carrots, peeled and cubed

- 2 stalks celery, cubed 

Preparation:

- Preheat oven to 325F.

- Remove giblets from turkey. Rinse turkey with lukewarm water and pat dry with paper towel.

- Insert onion and lemon into the cavity. Fold the turkey wings to the back and tuck the turkey legs under the bird. Place turkey (breast side up) in a deep roasting pan.

- In a small bowl, mix oil (or butter), thyme, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Rub mixture around the turkey and under the skin. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the deepest part of the thigh.

- Cover the turkey with a tin foil. Poke a few holes on top of foil.

- Place the carrots, celery, and garlic around the turkey.

- Place roast pan on lower oven rack. Roast at 400F for 30 minutes. Then turn heat down to 325F to roast for about 5 hours (rule of thumb: 20 minutes for every lb). Baste the turkey with juice in the roasting pan every hour. About 30 minutes before ready, remove the tin and baste the turkey once more.

- When thermometer indicates 180F, take the roast pan out. Let the turkey sit for 15-20 minutes before carving.

Preparation for Gravy:

Ingredients:
- 2 cups turkey broth from dripping in roasting pan

- 1/4 cup turkey fat from dripping (if available)

- 1/4 cup corn starch

Preparation:

- Heat a skillet on medium heat, whisk in 1/4 cup turkey broth with corn starch. When mixture starts to thicken, add the remaining turkey broth and fat to the skillet. When the sauce starts to bubble, turn heat down to simmer for 10 minutes until sauce is thick and uniform. Stir frequently.

Preparation for Cranberry Sauce:

Ingredients:

- 6 oz cranberries

- 1/2 cup white sugar

- 1/2 cup orange juice (or apple juice)

Preparation:

- In a pot on medium heat, dissolve sugar in orange juice. Add cranberries and cook for 10 minutes until they start to pop.

- Remove from heat and let cranberry sauce thickens as it cools.

Ingredients for Turkey Soup:

- 1 turkey carcass

- 2 cups turkey meat, cooked

- 2 tbsp oil

- 3 cups onion, thinly sliced

- 2 stalks celery, sliced

- 2 carrots peeled and sliced

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

- 1/2 tsp ground sage

- 1/2 tsp thyme

- 2 quarts water

Preparation for Turkey Soup:

- Chop turkey carcass into several pieces

- Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat. Saute onion until soft. Add turkey carcass, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, and water. Turn heat up to boil water. Once boiled, turn heat down to simmer for 1 hour.

- Remove carcass from pot. Add celery and carrots and continue to simmer for 10 minutes until vegetables are tender.

- Add cooked turkey and continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes.