Christmas in America is one of the most festive days in the land, and this Christmas Turkey recipe is a traditional classic. Be sure and get a fresh turkey. Plan ahead, go to your favorite butcher or meat market, and order in advance. Frozen turkeys cannot stand up to the flavor of a freshly butchered and dressed turkey.

Christmas Turkey Recipe-

Ingredients:

• 1 fresh turkey (10 to 12 lb., if you are serving a large group)
• 1 stick unsalted butter (1/4 lb.)
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
• freshly ground coarse sea salt
• freshly ground black peppercorns
• 1 large bunch fresh thyme
• 1 whole lemon, halved
• 1 large white or yellow onion, quartered
• 1 large bulb garlic, cloves peeled and left whole

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add and stir in the juice of the lemon, the zest, and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves. Set aside for now.
3. Take the giblets out of the turkey’s cavity, and wash the turkey well in fresh water, inside and out. Cut away any excess fat and look for any leftover pinfeathers – remove them if need be. Pat the outside dry with a kitchen cloth.
4. Place the bird in a large roasting pan. Salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity generously. Stuff the cavity with the halved lemon, quartered onion, the bunch of thyme, and the garlic.
5. Brush the outside of the turkey with the seasoned butter mixture; salt and pepper the entire bird to taste. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
6. Important! Many people don’t like the turkey breast, complaining it is too dry – they prefer the dark meat of the legs and thighs. To solve this, you want to cook the turkey with the breast side down, for the first 45 minutes to an hour. This way, lots of the juices from the back, legs, thighs and wings will settle down into the breast meat. Then, turn the turkey over, tuck the wings in, snuggled into the breast, and finish the roasting.
7. Roast your turkey for about 2 1/2 hours, or approximately 15 minutes per pound. It is done when the juices run clear if you cut between the leg and the thigh.
8. When finished roasting, remove the bird from the oven, take it out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Tent it with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
9. You have completed all of the steps in your Christmas Turkey recipe! Slice the turkey and serve.

Note: This Christmas Turkey recipe was taken from our Classic American Main Entrees pages. For many more delicious and traditional dishes like this, click here.

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