Turkey Time (Almost!)

Are you ready to get stuffed? I can't wait to get my hands on that bird tomorrow! It'll be my first time ever cooking a turkey so wish me luck. It shouldn't be too bad right, I mean I've roasted a whole chicken before and it came out...edible.

Today I hit up the poultry store with the 'rents to pick out the fresh turkey! I don't know why but my dad swears that he can taste a huge difference between the frozen and fresh poultry, I guess he has a much more refined palate than I do. Here's a glimpse of what we had to choose from!

Pick me! Pick me!

So we came back with a 16-pounder for 4 people total...that is a lot of leftover turkey sandwiches. The recipe I'm using tomorrow is super simple and seems impossible to mess up. And now I'm going to share it with you! I came across it on Epicurious.com and it's from one of my favorite baldys - Tom Colicchio.

Tom Colicchio's Herb-Butter Turkey

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature, divided
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme plus 15 fresh thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon plus 5 large fresh tarragon sprigs
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary plus 5 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage plus 5 fresh sage sprigs
1 14- to 16-pound turkey
4 cups low-salt chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup all purpose flour

Mix 1/2 cup butter and all minced herbs in small bowl; season herb butter with salt and pepper. Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 425°F. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Starting at neck end, slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin. Rub 4 tablespoons herb butter over breast meat under skin. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Sprinkle main cavity generously with salt and pepper. Place 4 tablespoons plain butter and all fresh herb sprigs in main cavity. Tuck wing tips under. Tie legs together loosely. Rub remaining herb butter over outside of turkey. Sprinkle turkey generously with salt and pepper.

Place turkey in oven and roast 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast turkey 30 minutes; pour 1 cup broth over and add 1 tablespoon plain butter to roasting pan. Roast turkey 30 minutes; baste with pan juices, then pour 1 cup broth over and add 1 tablespoon butter to pan. Cover turkey loosely with foil. Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, basting with pan juices and adding 1 cup broth and 1 tablespoon butter to pan every 45 minutes, about 1 hour 45 minutes longer. Transfer turkey to platter; let stand 30 minutes (internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees).

 And voila! Your efforts should result in a bird that looks like this:

Happy Thanksgiving!