Roasted Turkey with Lemon and Garlic

SLO Farmers Co-op No Comments
Cooked turkey on roasting pan in oven

It’s turkey time!

Here’s a simple but delicious way to prepare a turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner.

With SLO CSA shares you can get an organic pasture-raised turkey from one of our member farms, as well as onions and garlic.

Cooking a pasture-raised turkey is a little bit different than a conventional turkey.

Here are some tips for cooking a pastured turkey well:

  • Thawing
    • Thaw in the fridge – 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds
    • Thaw in cold water – in a leak-proof bag for 30 minutes per pound
  • Use a meat thermometer!
    • These turkeys cook faster and dry out more easily. Remove from the oven when the breast temperature reaches 145°F.
    • The turkey will continue to cook after it is removed, so breast temperature will continue to rise to safe temperature of 165°F after about 30 minutes of rest.
  • Don’t overstuff!
    • The shorter cook time may not thoroughly cook your stuffing.

Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 3 hours

INGREDIENTS

Roasted Turkey Ingredients

  • 10-12 lb organic turkey
  • 2 onions, peeled and halved
  • 2 lemons, peeled and zested
  • 1 bulb garlic, halved
  • 12 oz bacon

Compound Butter Ingredients

  • 2 scallions or bunch chives, chopped
  • 12 oz softened butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Zest and juice of 2 lemons
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Mix butter, scallions, olive oil, garlic lemon zest and juice in large bowl.
  3. Remove giblets from cavity and loosen the skin under breast and legs.
  4. Season cavity with salt and pepper and stuff with onions, lemon, and garlic halves.
  5. Insert and spread half the butter mixture under the skin of breasts and legs with your hands. Massage the rest of butter on the outside skin. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on top.
  6. Roast the turkey on a roasting tray, breast side up in the hot oven for 10-15 minutes to lock in the juices.
  7. Remove tray and baste. Lay bacon on top and baste again. Lower oven temp to 350℉, put back in oven and cook for 2-3 hours, basting every half hour.
  8. Start checking your turkey after 2 hours by poking the thick part of the leg with a skewer. If the juices are still pink, place back in the oven.
  9. Continue checking every 15 minutes until juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165℉.
  10. Let it rest for 30-45 minutes. Remove items from cavity and use with drippings for additional flavor if you are making gravy.

Items Available from SLO:

You can get organic, pasture-raised turkeys through us around Thanksgiving time! We also have garlic and onions available. Also on the Thanksgiving note, we’ll have fresh organic cranberries around the holiday season.