Hello winter! An exciting time of the year in New Mexico, and in particular in the streets of Santa Fe, that after a little snow somehow look more magical and enticing. The galleries are warm places to hang out and enjoy, while the crisp air is ideal for long walks to appreciate the view of the scenic mountains.
It’s also time to gather around with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. Go ahead and give that oven some use! Whether you are in your home in Santa Fe or have taken a vacation rental, make this celebration an unforgettable one with one of tasty recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking?, a yummy Herb Roasted Turkey.
Ingredients
- 1 14-16 pound turkey thawed if frozen
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 handfuls of fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 handfuls of fresh thyme leaves
- 2 handfuls of fresh sage leaves
- 3 teaspoons coarse salt plus more for seasoning
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper plus more for seasoning
- 2 lemons each cut into halves
- When you’re ready to roast the bird (once it’s fully defrosted), remove the turkey from the brine / refrigerator, remove the giblets from inside, and pat dry with paper towels. Let it rest on a baking sheet for 2 hours until it comes to room temperature.
- In a food processor, combine the butter, lemon zest, 1 handful of parsley, 1 handful of thyme and 1 handful of sage leaves and pulse for 1-2 minutes until everything is evenly incorporated. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and pulse for a few seconds more. Remove the compound butter from the food processor and set aside.
- Once the turkey is prepped, place it in a large roasting pan, breast side up on a metal rack.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F, with rack on lowest level. Meanwhile, using your hands, smear the butter all over the turkey. Liberally season the bird with salt and pepper and use your hands to pat everything down onto the skin.
- Fill the inside of the bird with the remaining handfuls of herbs and the halved lemons, making sure everything is stuffed inside the bird. Tie the legs together with a bit of kitchen twine and place the bird into the oven and roast for 30 minutes at 450 degrees F.
- After 30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue to cook for about 2 more hours, basting turkey with drippings from the bottom and rotating the pan every 30-45 minutes.
After 2.5 hours of cooking time, use a meat thermometer and check the thickest part of the turkey so make sure the internal temperature is 175 degrees. The turkey should be golden brown at this point. If the turkey is not done, continue to cook it until the thermometer registers at 175 degrees F. - If the turkey is done but isn’t quite golden brown yet, crank the heat up to 450 degrees and blast it for 15 minutes to crisp up the skin.
All done!!! Now you and your loved ones have had a feast and now is time to clean! You can absolutely leave that our professional team of Ana Valenzuela Cleaning Services. From the kitchen to the living room, there is no corner they leave behind. The professional team also has advice for those who want to tackle the oven clean up after cooking the turkey. Here are 3 quick and easy tips:
- Try to use all-natural cleaning products, as many traditional oven cleaners may leave harmful residuals vapors in the oven. You don’t want that mix with your food.
- Use a mix of baking soda (not on aluminum racks) and warm water, enough to create a consistent paste. You can add a few drops of orange, pine or tea tree oil essential oils.
- While taking care of the oven, leave the racks soaking in dishwashing liquid (or the paste you made if they are very dirty and with stuck residue) for a few hours.
For this and many other cleaning solutions for the home, contact anavalenzuelacleaningservices.com
