Champagne Lemon Pepper Turkey
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 15-18 pound 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
- ½ bottle sweet champagne such as Asti Spumante
Instructions
- 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