Ryan’s Thanksgiving Roast Turkey has been keeping our family full and happy for almost 10 years! This year we decided to share this recipe with you because it really is a tried and true recipe to keep for generations.
If you brined the turkey, take the bird out of the brine and place it on a roasting rack in your roasting pan about an hour before cooking. Allow the bird to come closer to room temperature and pat dry with paper towels. Discard any water/brine that may drip into the roasting pan.
Preheat the oven to 500°F and set the rack on the lowest level of the oven.
Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, 4 cloves of crushed garlic, and a cup of water in a microwave safe bowl or large Pyrex measuring cup. Microwave on high for 5 minutes.
In the meantime, rub the bird down with oil all over to help brown the skin. Tuck the wings under the bird
While the aromatics are still hot, place the steeped aromatics into the cavity of the bird with a pair of tongs along with the fresh rosemary and sage. Discard the water.
Place the roasting pan with the turkey breast side first into the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
After the first 30 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Turn the bird around so that the breast is now facing toward the oven door. Insert the probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, avoiding the bones. Place a triangular foil sheet on the breasts with the apex pointing toward the back, to help avoid over darkening and drying out the breast meat. Set your probe thermometer alarm temperature, if it comes equipped, to 145°F. Close the oven door.
When your probe alarm goes off at 145°F, take the foil shield off the breasts to further brown the skin and increase the alarm set point to 161°F.
When your probe alarm goes off at 161°F, take the bird out of the oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, or the roasting pan lid if it comes with one. If using the roasting pan list, keep it cracked open with a rolled up ball of foil or a wooden spoon to allow steam out. Let it rest for at least 15-25 minutes before carving.
Notes
A 14 to 16 pound turkey should take about 2 to 2-1/2 hours to roast, though times vary depending on the temperature of the day, calibration of the oven, etc. So plan accordingly.
When inserting the probe thermometer, try and get it right down the center of either one of the breasts and avoid hitting any bones that may get hotter and give you a false reading.