Baked Turkey with Lemon and Thyme

Lemon and thyme are the predominant flavours in this golden, tender and moist turkey that has just six ingredients. It's so easy, we guarantee success.

½ cup butter, melted
3 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tsp. lemon zest, freshly grated
1 tsp. fresh thyme or ¼ tsp. dried thyme
1 (14-16 lb) fresh turkey
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 medium lemon, halved
1 medium onion, quartered
14 cloves garlic, peeled
24 fresh thyme sprigs

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 3).

In a small bowl, combine the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and minced thyme.

Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over skin of turkey and inside cavity; brush with butter mixture. Place the lemon, onion, garlic and thyme sprigs inside cavity. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together.

Timetable for an Unstuffed Turkey at 325°F:
8-12 lbs (3.6-5.4 kg) 3 hours
12-14 lbs (5.4-6.3 kg) 3-3¾ hours
14-18 lbs (6.3-8.15 kg) 3¾-4¼ hours
18-20 lbs (8.15-9.1 kg) 4¼-4½ hours
20-24 lbs (9.1-11 kg) 4½-5 hours

Basting every 20-30 minutes will help ensure the turkey doesn't dry out and the skin gets nice and crisp.

A whole turkey is done when the temperature in the innermost part of the thigh reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the temperature in the thickest part of the breast, the wing.

Remove from the oven and allow turkey to rest for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving to allow juices to saturate the meat evenly.

Cook's Notes:

• Turkeys must be kept at a safe temperature during "the big thaw." While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. However, as soon as it begins to thaw, any bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to grow again.
• Immediately after grocery store checkout, take the frozen turkey home and store it in the freezer. Frozen turkeys should not be left on the back porch, in the car trunk, in the basement, or any place else where temperatures cannot be constantly monitored.
• A package of frozen meat or poultry left thawing on the counter more than 2 hours is not at a safe temperature. Even though the center of the package may still be frozen, the outer layer of the food is in the "Danger Zone" between 40 and 140°F - at a temperature where foodborne bacteria multiply rapidly.

Refrigerator Thawing:

• When thawing a turkey in the refrigerator:
• Plan ahead: allow approximately 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds in a refrigerator set at 40 °F or below.
• Place the turkey in a container to prevent the juices from dripping on other foods.

Refrigerator Thawing Times - Whole turkey:

4 to 12 pounds — 1 to 3 days
12 to 16 pounds — 3 to 4 days
16 to 20 pounds — 4 to 5 days
20 to 24 pounds —5 to 6 days

A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days before cooking. Foods thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking but there may be some loss of quality.

Cold Water Thawing:

• Allow about 30 minutes per pound.
• First be sure the turkey is in a leak-proof plastic bag to prevent cross-contamination and to prevent the turkey from absorbing water, resulting in a watery product.
• Submerge the wrapped turkey in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed.

Cold Water Thawing Times - Whole Turkey:

4 to 12 pounds — 2 to 6 hours
12 to 16 pounds — 6 to 8 hours
16 to 20 pounds — 8 to 10 hours
20 to 24 pounds — 10 to 12 hours

A turkey thawed by the cold water method should be cooked immediately. After cooking, meat from the turkey can be refrozen.