Happy almost Thanksgiving everyone! I have been busy for weeks planning my Thanksgiving menu and how I will be cooking my turkey. In the past I have smoked, fried, even cooked the breasts and thighs separate, but this year I have been loving this whole herb roast turkey! It is the classic way to cook a turkey, whole, trussed and with lots of butter and herbs. It is the most traditional and fool proof recipe out there and a must on your Thanksgiving table.

• Whole Turkey – The size of your turkey depends on the number of people you have. This will affect cooking time. Go by the internal temperature, not by the cooking time for this! You don’t want a dry turkey.
• Butter – This recipe calls for salted butter. If you are dairy free you can use vegan butter, or instead baste with olive oil that has been infused with the herbs.
• Rosemary, Sage and Parsley – These are my favorite herbs for Thanksgiving. You can also throw thyme in there and it is amazing.
• Lemon and Garlic – These are other aromatic add ins to the herb butter. Omit if you dislike.

Internal Meat Thermometer:

The most important tool when cooking a turkey is a meat thermometer. Never just go by time in the oven! With a bird this big, you need to measure the thickest part of the breast and thighs.

The turkey is done when the breast reads 155°F and the thighs read 170°F. We can pull the turkey at 155 for the breast because of something called carry over cooking. Meaning, meat will continue to rise in temperature when it is pulled out of the oven. Therefore if you pull it when it is more cooked, the breast will be overcooked and dry. We aim for 170 for the thighs because it is higher in fat and fat starts to break down and become tender in the 170s.