Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Festivus, there are lengthy meal plans in your future. If you focus your freshest ingredients and the bulk of your time on the main dish, all the side dishes are just complimentary.

You want to make your main dish the showstopper and this Apple Lemon Rosemary Turkey will do just that! You can also find and plan your sides and dessert through my holiday recipe collection.

To prepare your turkey for cooking day, place your frozen turkey in a sink full of cold water overnight. When you wake up the next day to clean out the turkey, the inside might still feel a bit frozen. Make sure to clean your turkey thoroughly once it’s thawed. It’s not a clean or pretty job, but it’s a must if you want Thanksgiving turkey.

Place 3 – 5 celery stalks at the bottom of the turkey pan. This will prevent the turkey from sitting directly on the bottom and will result in more drippings! Once the celery is placed, add a ½ cup of water to the base of the pan.

The ingredients above are more than enough to stuff your turkey (up to 20 pounds). If you’re serving a larger turkey, you might want to buy an extra lemon or onion.

Cut the lemons in half, and your apples and onions in quarters. Stuff a mixture of apples, onions, rosemary, cinnamon sticks, and whole garlic cloves inside your turkey. If you have extra ingredients, add them to the pan around the turkey. This will make your broth rich and hearty.

Take one lemon half and squeeze the juice over the skin of the turkey. Add butter to the skin and under the skin (between the skin and the meat). Add plenty of parsley, salt, and pepper for seasoning. Cover your entire turkey pan in tin foil and place into a hot oven.

The size of your turkey determines the length of time your turkey will cook. The USDA offers a website to explain timing and safety for turkey cookers. I cooked my 14 pound turkey at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, then turned the oven down to 350 degrees. The turkey cooked for roughly four hours until completed. Once every 60-90 minutes, baste the turkey to replenish the juices.

Always double-check the meat’s internal temperature with a meat thermometer. The lowest safe temperature for turkey is 165 degrees. To check for this temperature, insert the thermometer in two places: the thickest area of the breast, and the thigh, in a spot away from the bone. If the thermometer reads 165 or above, your turkey is ready to gobble. Figuratively, not literally.

Serve your turkey with some delicious sides. Voila! You have an incredibly easy, flavorful holiday meal.

Apple Lemon Rosemary Turkey

Ingredients

- Fresh turkey (up to 20 lbs.)
– 3 medium onions
– 3 lemons
– 2 apples
– 1 garlic clove
– 3+ rosemary strands
– 3+ cinnamon sticks
– 1/2 stick of butter (more or less is your choice!)
– salt, pepper, parsley

1. Defrost your turkey and remove the giblets and neck. Clean the entire turkey with water until completely clean inside and outside.
2. Cut apples and onions into quarters. Cut lemons into halves. Divide garlic cloves from bulb and remove the skin.
3. Lay your turkey on top of 3+ celery stalks and a ½ cup of water. Stuff your turkey with onions, lemons, apples, garlic, rosemary, and cinnamon. If there are extra ingredients, spread around the turkey pan.
4. Take one half lemon and squeeze the juice over the turkey skin. Rub butter on the skin and between the skin and meat. Season with salt, pepper, and parsley.
5. Cook the turkey at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees. For cooking time, the average rule is about 20-25 minutes per pound of turkey.
6. Baste your turkey every 60 – 90 minutes. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer.
7. When your turkey is at 165 degrees or above, take out of the oven, carve, and enjoy!