Honey and Herb Roasted Turkey is a simple, yet delicious recipe for your Thanksgiving table!

Wow…what a whirlwind I’ve been through these past two weeks. I apologize for my absence, but to make it up to you I’ve got this great recipe for Thanksgiving! I’m still in shock that it’s already November and we’re just weeks away from Turkey Day.

I’m not going to lie. I was terrified of making this bird, specifically the whole thawing the frozen bird thing.

I went to Whole Foods to get this massive 16 pounder in October and as my luck would have it, they had a turkey (they don’t usually sell them until after Halloween)! The butcher said it would just need a two day thaw in the fridge….but after doing some research of my own, a bird this size needs at least a four day thaw in the fridge or 8 hours of cold water thawing.

Since I gave myself just three days before I cooked this turkey, I did a mixture of a 3 day thaw in the fridge and about 6 hours of cold water thawing. Want to see my ghetto way?

Yep, using a good old plastic bin, I used weights to hold the bird under the water. And how cool/dangerous is it that my new faucet reaches the bucket? Is there an easier way to cold water thaw a bird?

I digress.

Let’s get to talking turkey. The honey glaze is so simple, yet the aroma and flavor makes a huge impact. There is just enough flavor to let the turkey shine and not drown out the flavors of your Thanksgiving side dishes.

I can officially say, I’m no longer afraid of cooking a large turkey.

Honey & Herb Roasted Turkey

adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 (16-18 pound) whole turkey, thawed, giblets removed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 teaspoons dried sage leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

How-To

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and place the oven racks pretty low in the oven.
2. Rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey in a roasting pan covered with non-stick foil (for easy clean up). Brush the outside of the turkey with the olive oil.
3. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper and thyme together. Sprinkle on the turkey.
4. Bake for 2 hours.
5. In a bowl, combine the honey, butter, sage, basil, salt and pepper. Brush the turkey with the honey mixture every 30 minutes (up to 2 more hours) until the turkey is done (thermometer at thickest portion of the thigh near bone is 165°F and juices are clear).
6. Remove from the oven and gently cover with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes before cutting.