Simple Roast Turkey

RECIPE Ingredients
  • 1 heritage turkey, about 14-16 pounds
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • Several sprigs of fresh thyme and sage
  • Oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Recipe notes
Here's a basic roast turkey recipe that will yield a juicy bird every time. Add your own flare with your favorite spices, herbs or dressing.
RECIPE Preparation
  1. Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees F.
  2. Rinse turkey and pat dry inside and out. Season cavity with salt and pepper. Peel onion and cut into wedges. Place in cavity with herbs. Rub outside with oil and season with salt. Place in roasting pan.
  3. Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting not including the 30 minutes at 500. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.