Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe, Potter Style

If you are anything like me, you always stress out about your Thanksgiving turkey coming out perfectly. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year and I love to host friends and family at my house. After years of cooking Thanksgiving turkeys (and making many mistakes along the way), I have finally perfected my recipe for my Thanksgiving bird. The cooking time changes each year depending on how large of a turkey I’m making, but the recipe stays the same. Gobble up and enjoy! (I typically get a 20-24 pound turkey to feed about 16 people) 2012-11-22 10.32.24

Here’s what you need:

  • Butter, 2½ sticks, salted
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Apples
  • Oranges
  • Lemons
  • Fresh Herbs (I use Sage, Thyme and Rosemary)
  • Bacon, 2 lbs.
  • Flour
  • Cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F ( 175 degrees C)
Rinse turkey and remove giblets
Apply ½ stick of butter between the breast meat and skin. This will keep the white meat very tender and juicy.
Salt and pepper the outside of the skin
Stuff the cavity with onion, garlic, apples, oranges, lemons, fresh herbs and 2 sticks of salted butter.
Cover the top of the turkey with slices of uncooked bacon. These will crisp up during cooking and brown and flavor the turkey.
Sprinkle the oven bag with some flour and shake the bag ( this will prevent the bag from bursting in the oven)
Place turkey in the bag with more sprigs of fresh herbs and cranberries.
Seal the bag and poke several holes in the bag with a fork.
Bake in the over for 3 ½ to 4 hours, or until internal temperature of the thigh meat reaches 180 F (85 degrees C)