Extra Virgin olive oil adds a depth and dimension to a holiday favorite. This is a favorite We Olive family recipe we use every year and it is always moist and flavorful. Feeds 18 very lucky people.
You will need:
1 – 16 to 18 lb. natural or organic turkey, preferably brined using the Cook’s Illustrated method
¾ cup We Olive Olio Nuovo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 stick (1/4 cup) of butter, cut into eight tablespoons.
Kosher salt
5 peeled garlic cloves
1 small yellow onion, quartered
1 small orange, quartered
A “mix and match” handful of herbs of your choice; parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme
3 tablespoons + ½ cup of We Olive Olio Nuovo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Remove turkey from the brined solution and rinse. Pat dry. Be sure to pat dry the cavity, too. Tuck the wings of the turkey behind its back. You may have to break the joint in order to tuck the wing. Doing this will ensure that the wings do not burn during roasting. Generously sprinkle the cavity of the turkey with kosher salt. Loosen the turkey skin from the breast by placing your hand in between the skin and the breast, gently lifting the skin away. Try to loosen the skin as far down as you can go, to the thigh and over the drumstick. Place one square of butter in between the skin and the meat of the turkey in the following places: each drumstick area, each thigh area, and each breast. Place the remaining two squares of butter in the turkey cavity. Take the ¾ cups of We Olive’s Olio Nuovo extra virgin olive oil and pour it in ¼ cup increments in between the skin and meat on both sides of the breast and ¼ cup into the cavity. Stuff the cavity with the garlic cloves, onion, orange and herbs. Tie the legs. Take the 3 tablespoons of We Olive’s Olio Nuovo extra virgin olive oil and rub it over the outside of the turkey. Place the turkey on a roasting pan with a rack.
Roasting the Turkey:
Place the turkey in pre-heated 450 degree oven. Roast for the first ½ hour at 450 degrees and then drop the oven temperature down to 350 degrees for remaining roasting time. At this time, baste the turkey with We Olive’s Olio Nuovo extra virgin olive oil. Baste every 45 minutes after that using the remaining olive oil or the pan drippings. Total roasting time will take 2 ½ to 3 hours. Remove turkey from the oven when an instant read thermometer placed in the mid thigh area reaches 165 degrees. In order to get an accurate reading, be sure the thermometer does not touch the turkey bone. Loosely cover the turkey with foil (to prevent poachers) and let rest for 45 minutes before carving. Enjoy!
This line needs an edit, its missing butter..
“Place one (tablespoon) square in between the skin and the meat of the turkey in the following places: each drumstick area, each thigh area, and each breast. “
Thanks Jo! We’ve edited the recipe to correct the omission.