1 (15-pound) whole turkey,
fresh or frozen, thawed
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 to 8 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
As needed lemon wedges
As needed parsley or other fresh herbs
Remove giblets and neck
from turkey; reserve. Rinse turkey with cold running water and
drain well.
In blender, combine olive
oil and lemon juice. While blending, drop in garlic cloves one
at a time. Gradually add lemon zest. Continue to blend until
mixture is pureed.
Using an injector, inject
marinade into all parts of the thawed turkey. (Strain marinade
if it is too thick to pass through the injector.)
Gently massage turkey
to distribute marinade.
Place turkey in a large
plastic bag (cooking bag or foodservice grade plastic bag). Close
bag and refrigerate overnight.
Remove turkey and drain
excess marinade. Scrape off excess marinade and discard. Do NOT
re-use marinade to baste the turkey.
Fold neck skin and fasten
to the back with 1 or 2 skewers. Fold the wings under the back
of the turkey. Return legs to tucked position.
Place turkey, breast side
up, on a rack in a large shallow (about 2-1/2 inches deep) roasting
pan. Rub turkey with salt and pepper.
Insert oven-safe meat
thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful
the pointed end of the thermometer does not touch the bone.
Roast the turkey in a
preheated 325 degree F. oven about 3-3/4 hours. During the last
hour of roasting time, baste with pan drippings. If necessary,
loosely cover with foil to prevent excessive browning.
Continue roasting until
the thermometer registers 180 degrees F. in the thigh, or 170
degrees F. in the breast. Remove turkey from the oven and allow
it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.
Place on a warm large
platter and garnish with fresh herbs and lemon wedges.
Makes 22 servings.
Nutrition Facts per serving:
Calories 380
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g
Saturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 145mg
Sodium 230mg
Potassium 496mg
Total Carbohydrate 0g
Dietary Fiber 0g
Sugars 0g
Protein 49g
Recipe
and photograph provided
courtesy of the National Turkey Federation.
