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Italian Infused Whole Roast Turkey

  • 10 Servings
  • 15 mins Prep Time
  • 3 hrs 45 mins Total Time

Ingredients

Turkey

  • 1 Fresh or Frozen Whole Turkey, thawed
  • 3 lemons halved
  • 4 yellow onions, cut into quarters
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 4 heads of garlic (leave 3 whole and separate the cloves of the remaining head of garlic)
  • 4 sprigs of rosemary
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 cups white wine or chicken stock

Butter Rub

  • 1 stick of salted butter (½ cup) at room temperature
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 sprig of rosemary, minced
  • 1 sprig of thyme, minced
  • 2 tbsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. pepper
  • 4-6 cloves of garlic, minced

Marinade for Injection

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp. dry Italian seasoning
  • 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 1 tbsp. fresh parsley leaves

  • Step 1

    Remove the thawed turkey from the packaging and take out the neck and giblets. Place the turkey in a shallow roasting pan on the rack.

  • Step 2

    Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and then in a small dish combine butter with lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, and 4-5 cloves of minced garlic. Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey and season with salt and pepper.

  • Step 3

    Stuff the turkey with 1 lemon cut in half and 1 onion cut in quarters along with the remaining 4-6 cloves of one head of garlic and 2 Bay leaves.

  • Step 4

    In the bottom of your roasting pan add 3 heads of garlic, with the top of the head sliced off exposing the garlic cloves inside, remaining quartered onions, sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and remaining halved lemons. Pour white wine or chicken stock in the bottom of the roasting pan.

  • Step 5

    Pre-heat the oven to 400°F and prepare the marinade for injection.

  • Step 6

    In a blender cup, combine all ingredients for the marinade. Blend marinade for about 30 seconds. It is important to blend this mixture until all ingredients are smoothly blended together so it doesn’t block the injector needle.

  • Step 7

    Fill the injector tube using a measuring cup with a spout and screw the handle on carefully.

  • Step 8

    To inject the turkey, start in the thickest part of the breast and insert the injector needle a few inches. As you press down the plunger, carefully pull the injector back, but not out all the way, and simply move the injector into different positions into the turkey breast while continuing to press the marinade into the turkey.

  • Step 9

    Repeat this process by making 2 injections into each breast, and 1 into each turkey thigh.

  • Step 10

    Place the whole turkey into the oven and roast for 2 hours. Remove the turkey from the oven and using a baster, draw up some of the liquid from the roasting pan and baste the turkey.

  • Step 11

    Cover the turkey with tin foil so as to not get the skin too browned and return it to the oven.

  • Step 12

    Continue to roast the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Depending on the size of the turkey this could take 1-2 more hours.

  • Step 13

    Remove the turkey and let it rest for 30 minutes. Plate and serve the turkey alongside the roasted onions, lemons, and garlic that were in the pan. Remove Bay leaves before serving.

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