Thanksgiving Turkey, especially organic and pasture fed, is a wonderful, nourishing meal. While marketing will try to tell you that the white breast meat is the best, our ancestors knew that the dark meat is full of important fatty acids and nutrients, so go for all the meat and know your body will love you! We have a little tip in the instructions to keep your turkey moist and delicious.
If you buy the turkey directly from your farmer (one that you know has good practices, allows their turkeys to run free and eat their native pasture diet and does not feed them soy or any genetically modified (GMO) feed, you can get more affordable turkey and support your local farmer.
Preparation time
- 20 minutes to prepare, between 2 – 4 hours to cook.
Servings: 6 – 8
Ingredients
- 1 whole Turkey (between 10 -12 pounds), preferably organic pasture fed
- 1 cup organic extra virgin olive oil (virgin unrefined coconut oil works well too!)
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
- Optional – 1 cup sliced onions or 1 cup finely sliced leeks
- 4 tablespoons dried rosemary
- 4 tablespoons dried thyme
- 4 tablespoons dried basil
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Take the turkey and remove the bag of giblets and the neck from the interior cavity. Set these aside in the refrigerator because they are super nutrient rich and have important uses in other recipes! The neck can be used to make bone broth (see recipe in Loving Yourself to Great Health) and the organs can be used to make delicious organ meat pate.
- Rinse the turkey with filtered water and put it in a large turkey roasting pan, preferably glass or stainless steel.
- Add 2 – 3 cups of water to the bottom of your roaster pan.
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, rosemary, thyme, basil, sea salt and pepper.
- With the drumsticks facing you, take your hand and lift the skin at the edge of the turkey. You should be able to gently push your fingers under the skin to make an opening between the meat and the skin. It’s usually pretty easy to do this with no or minimal breakage of the skin. Now take some of the herb and olive oil mixture in your hand and rub it on the meat under the skin. If you don’t want to do this, you can rub the olive oil and herb mixture on top of the skin. I like to put it under the skin because it spreads the flavors right into the meat. You should have some of the oil and herb mixture left over. Whatever is left can go on top of the skin or into the water in the crockpot.
- Add the apple cider vinegar into the water at the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Add your vegetable stuffing inside the cavity of the turkey and place any excess in the bottom of the roasting pan around the turkey (alternatively, you can make the stuffing on your stovetop). The vegetable stuffing recipe is included in this recipe booklet.
- Before putting your turkey into the oven, reduce the heat to 325°F. This will allow you to slow roast the turkey, which is especially important if you use pasture fed turkey because it’s much leaner. Slow roasting is a great way to get a moist turkey!
- Bonus tip: After 1.5 hours, cover the turkey breast with a silicone baking mat, if you have one on hand. This is a 9 x 11 cookie sheet made of flexible silicone and it will help to keep the breast meat moist, since the breast tends to be done before the legs.
- Bake in your oven for about 2.5 hours for a 10-pound turkey or about 13 – 15 minutes per pound. A better way to gauge when your turkey is done is to use a meat thermometer. The turkey is done when the thermometer reads 170 – 175°F.
- Once the turkey is finished, remove from the oven and scoop the vegetables out into a serving bowl. If you want, you can pulse the veggies up in your food processor so that they are blended in smaller chunks. This can make a nice consistency reminiscent of bread stuffing, but without the starch or gluten.
Download or Print the Complete Thanksgiving Menu with the Entire List of Recipes
Most of these recipes can be prepared 2–3 days before serving to make your kitchen time easier and give you more time to connect with friends and family on Thanksgiving day. Remember to ask your loved ones to pitch in and your guests to bring one of these side dishes! View the Complete Thanksgiving Menu…
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As a coach, writer and recovered former executive, I understand the challenges of creating a balanced, healthy lifestyle when over-scheduled. In my journey to radiant health, I created a whole health system of eating, exercise, renewal and recharging -- a roadmap toward health & vitality. I empower clients to create their own whole health systems, in their own unique ways. I have seen amazing results in working with my clients!
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