Herb Roasted Turkey

By eaglezfan6

Ingredients

• 1 14lb whole fresh turkey
• kitchen string
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground sage
• 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup butter softened
• 2 medium onions chopped
• 2 carrots chopped
• 2 celery ribs chopped
• 1 garlic bulb halved
• 1 cup dry white wine

Preparation

Step 1

1. Remove giblets and neck from turkey and rinse turkey with cold water. Drain cavity well; pat dry. Tie ends of legs together with kitchen string; tuck wingtips under. Place, breast side up on a lightly greased roating rack in a large roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400. Stir together thyme, next 2 ingredients, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper; rub mixture into cavity of turkey. Rub butter over turkey. Sprinkle remaining salt and pepper over outside of turkey; rub into skin. Arrange onions and next 3 ingredients around base of turkey in roasting pan; add wine and 1 cup water to pan.
3. Place turkey in oven; reduce oven temperature to 325. Bake at 325 for 3 hours or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion of thigh registers 160.
4. Remove turkey from oven; increase heat to 425. Baste turkey with pan juices, and let stand 15 minutes; return to oven. Bake at 425 for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and thermometer registers 165.
5. Let turkey stand in pan 30 minutes; transfer to a serving platter. Reserve pan drippings for gravy.