Rosemary Roasted Turkey

This recipe is featured in the Top 20 Thanksgiving Recipes on AllRecipe.com. This recipe makes your turkey moist and full of flavor. You can also use this recipe for Cornish game hens, chicken breasts or roasting chicken. Select a turkey sized according to the amount of people you will be serving and cook according to a turkey chart or directions attached.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 25 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup olive oil
• 3  tablespoons  minced garlic
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh rosemary
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh basil
• 1  tablespoon  italian seasoning
• 1  teaspoon ground black pepper
•  salt
• 1 (12 lb)  whole turkey

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, basil, Italian seasoning, black pepper and salt. Set aside.
3. Wash the turkey inside and out; pat dry. Remove any large fat deposits.
4. Loosen the skin from the breast. This is done by slowly working your fingers between the breast and the skin. Work it loose to the end of the drumstick, being careful not to tear the skin.
5. Using your hand, spread a generous amount of the rosemary mixture under the breast skin and down the thigh and leg.
6. Rub the remainder of the rosemary mixture over the outside of the breast.
7. Use toothpicks to seal skin over any exposed breast meat.
8. Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Add about 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the pan.
9. Roast in the preheated oven 3 to 4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).