Champagne Lemon Pepper Turkey

Champagne Lemon Pepper Turkey is a festive and flavorful centerpiece perfect for Thanksgiving or any special occasion. The combination of lemon pepper seasoning and sweet champagne creates a beautifully aromatic and zesty bird, while the generous use of butter both inside the cavity and under the skin ensures moist, tender meat with a golden, crispy exterior. Aromatic herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano, along with fruits and vegetables stuffed inside the cavity, add layers of fragrance and flavor that infuse the turkey as it roasts.

The cooking process starts with a careful preparation of the turkey—rinsed, dried, and rubbed with olive oil before being liberally seasoned. Butter slices tucked beneath the skin add richness directly to the breast meat, while the cavity is filled with a savory mix of onions, apples, oranges, celery, and herbs. The turkey is roasted surrounded by more fresh vegetables, basted frequently with a blend of butter and champagne, which helps keep the skin crisp and the meat succulent throughout the long roasting process.

Once roasted to perfection with a golden brown skin, the turkey rests to allow juices to redistribute, resulting in juicy, flavorful slices that melt in your mouth. The pan drippings, infused with the essence of champagne and herbs, make the perfect base for a rich Thanksgiving gravy. This Champagne Lemon Pepper Turkey not only delights with its complex flavors and tender texture but also fills the home with an inviting aroma that truly makes the holiday memorable.

The Thanksgiving turkey is the one thing that most of us love to eat on Thanksgiving Day. The inviting aroma that fills the house, the crispy skin, the flavor, etc. Oh, and don’t forget to make a wish with the wishbone!
Ingredients

15 – 18 lb turkey
Olive Oil
Lemon Pepper Seasoning/Spices
2 cups Butter
Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano
2 Onions, quartered
Apples, quartered
Oranges, quartered
Celery, cut small enough to fit in the cavity
Carrots, cut small enough to fit in the cavity
1/2 bottle of Sweet Champagne, such as Asti Spumante

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Rinse turkey with cold water and dry with paper towels
Lightly rub turkey with olive oil. Be sure to get all areas of the turkey
Do not tie off legs or wings
Sprinkle lemon pepper seasoning/spices on turkey
Butter inside the cavity and add with rosemary, thyme, oregano, onions, apples, oranges, celery. Use enough of each to fill the cavity
Carefully lift the skin off the breast and stuff slices of butter between the breast and skin. Be careful not to tear the skin. Take your time doing this step.
Put the turkey in the pan, line cut celery, carrots and onions around the bird
Add butter, and a half a bottle of champagne in the pan.
Put in oven and roast, basting every 30 minutes.
When the skin is golden brown cover with foil to prevent the skin from burning, continue basting every 30 minutes until the internal temperature of the breast & thigh reach 165 degrees.
When done remove from oven, discard all veggies and save all drippings for the Thanksgiving Gravy.
Let turkey rest for 2o minutes before slicing