Ingredients

  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 turkey 16-18 pounds, patted dry
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened

Ready In 255 Minutes

Servings: 25

Cooking Instructions

Step 1

  • Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.
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Step 2

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and remove all but the bottom rack and add the turkey to a large roasting pan with a rack.
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Step 3

  • Remove the bag of giblets and pat the turkey dry inside and out.
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Step 4

  • Mash the butter, salt and pepper in a small bowl and lift from under the turkey with the back of a spoon to separate the skin while adding in small chunks of the butter and then patting the skin back down to help spread the butter under the skin all over the bird (being careful not to pierce or tear the skin as the butter will ooze out.
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Step 5

  • Pour 2 cups of chicken stock in the pan and cover with foil and set a timer to go off every 30 minutes, basting each time.
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  • Length: 30 minutes

Step 6

  • After 2 hours remove the foil and continue cooking and basting for an additional 2 hours or until the thigh is cooked to 165 degrees (this is vital for food safety) and let rest for 20 minutes before serving.
  • EQUIPMENT:
  • Length: 260 minutes