Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Thanksgiving Day is a traditional North American holiday to give thanks after the harvesting season. It is celebrated on the fourth Thrusday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada. It is a very significant holiday where families get together for a meal with turkeys and stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pies. Because of the large size of the US, families hardly meet up with each other but Thanksgiving is the time where everyone will make the effort to travel and meet up with the entire family.

For me, who grew up in Malaysia and never knew about Thanksgiving until I arrived here in the US, we would normally buy an already cooked turkey from Vons with some mashed potato and soup. And that's our thanksgiving dinner. However, for those who like the challenge of making your own turkey, this is a recipe that I found on the net. Good luck on the turkey!

Here's a little tip on thawing your turkey. The best way to thaw your turkey is in the refrigerator. Mind you, it takes about 3 days to thaw an average 16 lbs turkey in the refrigerator, so maybe you want to start thawing your turkey today!

If you forgot to put your turkey in the refrigerator to thaw, you can put the turkey in a sink filled with cold water. This will take 8 hours to thaw your turkey.

Roast Turkey with Herbal Rub

1 13-Pound WHOLE TURKEY fresh or thawed

1 Medium onion quartered

1 lemon quartered

1/4 Cup vegetable oil

1 Teaspoon dried thyme

1 Teaspoon dried tarragon

1 Tablespoon dried rosemary

1 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325.

Remove giblets and neck from turkey and reserve for broth.

Rinse turkey with cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place onion and lemon quarters in neck and body cavities.

In a small bowl, mix oil with herbs, salt and pepper. With your finger tips, gently loosen skin from the breast without pulling off the skin.

Place 1 tablespoon of herb mixture under skin; replace skin. Rub cavities and outside of turkey with remaining herb mixture.

Secure the neck skin to the back with skewers. Fold wings under back of turkey. Place legs in tucked position. May be prepared to this point, covered and refrigerated for several hours.

Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (no more than 2-1/2 inches) deep roasting pan. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful it does not touch the bone.

Cover bird with a loose tent of foil. Roast turkey in a preheated 325 degree F. oven for about 2-1/2 hours. Remove foil and baste bird with pan juices. Continue to roast for about another hour until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees F. in the thigh.

Remove turkey from oven and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Transfer to a large platter and serve with gravy.

Note: Yields 18 servings at 6 ounces per portion