Slow roasted turkey
I get it. I work full time. And even when I get home from work, the work doesn’t stop. There’s homework, laundry, sports, bills, emails…and do I have time to walk the dog? Then there’s dinner to think about. That’s why I have lots of recipes in my back pocket that take under 30 minutes. (This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. I receive a small percentage at no extra cost to you, which helps maintain the free recipes on this site. Thank you!)
Pre-roast, lemons, herbs, kosher salt and butter.
Because sometimes I just don’t have the time or energy to spend more than an hour preparing a meal. Yep, I totally get it. But what I don’t get is why on Thanksgiving, when we should be slowing down, reflecting and appreciating what we have, why, when we should be rejoicing in family time, whether it’s cooking with three generations, playing Cribbage with grandpa, or listening to corny jokes for the umpteenth time, WHY would you want to speed up time?
Lift the skin gently to separate from the meat.
I’ve seen, this “cook a turkey in under an hour”, recipe flying all over the internet, billed as the greatest thing to happen to Thanksgiving since canned cranberries…not! But I just don’t get it. Short of an unplanned trip to the emergency room, the whole day is blocked off, just to spend time with people you care about! The bird is the easiest part of the whole meal. Rub, season, roast. To baste or not to baste, that’s entirely your call. We always go to my mom’s house for Thanksgiving. Christmas is at ours. Mom is widowed and 79, Thanksgiving is her holiday. She’s been baking for days, planning the centerpieces, the menu, and adding guests along the way.
Slid some butter and salt under the skin. The lemon keeps the meat super moist.
A few weeks before, we have the same conversation. “How many are you expecting mom?” I’ll ask her. “Oh, I think we’ll keep it small this year…probably just us and a couple more.” During subsequent conversations, mom will say, “Well, we’re up to 18…there’s a friend of mine who had nowhere to go this year…and the man next door just lost his wife…” She cannot bear the thought of anyone being alone during the holidays.
…and a little more melted butter for the skin…
So, every year the guest list changes, ebbs and flows, depending on who might be alone. My daughters, 19 and 14 understand that they will be socializing with 80 year olds, and they’ve learned, quite well over the years, how to do so.
The day before Thanksgiving my daughters will bake pies with my mom, while I snap photos of three of them, knowing that one day my mom won’t be able to teach my daughters how to roll a pie crust anymore.
Mom teaching my daughter how to make a Crostata.
Far more precious than any other gift my mom has given my girls, are the intangible gifts. The gift of opening ones’ heart and home, the gift of sharing ones’ knowledge and wisdom, and the gift of time. So why, would one choose to shorten that time?
- Turkey
- Butter diced
- Kosher salt
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh herbs rosemary, thyme or oregano
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Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.
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Clean turkey and remove giblets.
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Carefully separate skin from turkey. Slide some butter and salt under the skin of the turkey.
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Fill cavity of bird with lemon wedges, herbs and more salt.
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Melt remaining butter and pour over bird. Baste or not…it's your call.
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Roast until thermometer inserted in thick part of thigh registers 165 degrees F.
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Remove from oven and tent with foil and allow to rest 20 minutes.
Some of the items I used in this post are available here:
Easiest and moistest ever Roast Turkey with lemon and herbs.
mimi says
A great post. I haven’t heard of this fast cooking turkey recipe and I’m with you on that. Ridiculous!
Cynthia says
Thanks Mimi! Google the One Hour Turkey if you dare!
Rita says
Love this post–I can picture your Mom collecting guests along the way. My only question: 1/2 a pound per person? I’m cooking for 8 tomorrow and have a 19.5 lb bird!!
Cynthia says
Yes, Rita! It’s one pound per person…That was a typo! Mom caught it too!
Christina @ Christina's Cucina says
Cynthia, consider yourself given a virtual standing ovation!! Hear, hear! I don’t understand it either, especially since cooking a turkey for 5 hours means peeking in the oven now and then and basting it! Such time consuming work, right? As if you have to stand by the oven for 5 hours!
I understand people not having time to make certain things, like recipes with 10 different steps on a weeknight, but the least we can do is give our family the tradition of slowing everything down (including the cooking) on Thanksgiving Day!
Great post, I’m sharing!!
CC
Cynthia says
Thanks so much Christina! I agree, what’s the point?
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here, but there’s a similar opinion on Christmas here and it’s really annoying. There’s loads of adverts and magazine articles about how to rush through all the cooking when actually I quite enjoy slowing down for that one day a year when the shops are closed and you don’t have to do anything!
Cynthia says
Really crazy Annie…I don’t get it!
Laura @ Family Spice says
Amen, sistah! I love the holidays and that every store is closed because of that very reason. Sometimes, in this constant rush to do everything at the same time, we forget to slow down and appreciate what we have. Slow cooked turkey is the BEST!
Cynthia says
nothing beats doing things the old fashioned way Laura!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
What a perfect turkey, it looks heavenly! What gorgeous crispy skin! And I’m with you all the way on this – low and slow.
cristina says
Heartfelt – your mom has such a big and loving heart. Love the image of your Mom and daughter’s hands working together (so priceless!). I still don’t have the will to do a full on turkey so I’m envious of your talents with the bird. 😉
Ginny McMeans says
Very good instructions to help out people on Thanksgiving.
Vicky @ Avocdo Pesto says
Totally with you on not shortening that special time on the holidays spent together baking, cooking, just in the kitchen. My family always congregates around the kitchen and I will spent hours just cooking and spending time with all of them in that one room!
Marjory @ Dinner-Mom says
Yay for turkey day! It takes a little cook time, but turkey really is easy and a great meal year round and oh the things you can do with the leftovers!
Brandon @ Kitchen Konfidence says
Cynthia, you got such a gorgeous color on that bird!!! We’ve been smoking our turkey for the past couple of years. The flavor is incredible, but the color is not nearly as pretty as this.
Cynthia says
I would love to try a smoked turkey…or deep-fried!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
A beautiful post and a helpful technique to know. I always forget that formula for the minutes per pound so it is great to have this post to come back to as a reminder. And the message of enjoying the holiday will be there to remind me to enjoy! Thank you!
Cynthia says
thank you Katie!
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
I love this post Cynthia! Yup, let’s give ourselves permission to slow down for a day, spend the time with those we love and savor every delicious minute along the way. Your turkey looks amazing and I’ve never done it quite this way wiht the lemons — would love to try it over the holidays. xo
Cynthia says
There’s too much rushing around at the holidays anyway Allie, we need to give ourselves permission to slow-down!
Catherine says
Dear Cynthia, call me old fashioned, but I prefer baking it low and slow as the saying goes. The kitchen is where the best memories are made…and I don’t think I trust the idea of cooking a bird under an hour…that’s all new to me! A beautiful post dear and such a sweet note to your mom. Wishing you a beautiful and blessed Christmas and New Years. xoxo, Catherine
Cynthia says
Merry Christmas Catherine!