No-Baste, No-Bother Roasted Turkey

By mamacasma

Ingredients

• 1 (12-pound) turkey, completely thawed, all giblets removed
• 1/2 cups salted butter, softened
• 2 Tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 2 stalks celery, cut in lengths to fit turkey cavity
• 1 medium sweet onion (such as Vidalia), cut in half
• 1 large carrot
• 2 cups boiling water

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven racks so covered roasting pan fits easily inside oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
2. Rub butter on outside and in cavity of turkey. A self-basting turkey will not require all of the butter. Sprinkle salt and pepper on outside of turkey. Put celery, onion, and carrot in cavity. Place turkey, breast side up, in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into pan. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and put pan in preheated oven.
3. Start a timer when oven temperature returns to 500 degrees F. Bake exactly 1 hour and turn off oven. Do not open oven door. Leave turkey in oven until oven cools; this may take 4 to 6 hours. Reserve pan juices and refrigerate turkey if it will not be served after roasting.