Roasted Whole Turkey (dairy, egg, soy, nut free)

• 1 12-14 lb turkey, neck and giblets removed, brought to room temperature

• 1 roasting pan

• 1 turkey baster or ladle

• Aluminum foil

For the Herbed "Butter" :

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) beef tallow or vegan butter, softened (check ingredients for soy)

• 3 tablespoons reserved bacon grease (optional)

• 1/4 teaspoon each thyme, marjoram, rosemary, & black pepper

• 1 tablespoon sea salt (or to taste)

Use a spatula or hand mixer to combine all ingredients in a small bowl. With clean hands (and food grade disposable gloves, if you want), take the herb "butter" by the handful, carefully separate the skin from the breast and thighs (there's a thin membrane connecting them that's easy to gently separate), and apply the herb butter underneath the skin, on top of the breast and thigh meat. Leave the skin intact on top.

For the body cavity:

• 1 apple, cored (use a pie variety if you can)

• 2 stalks celery, washed and rough chopped

• 1 large carrot, washed and rough chopped

• 1 small sweet onion, peeled and halved (optional, for an allium-free preparation)

Place all ingredients in the body cavity - see my Thanksgiving Bread & Sausage Stuffing for a stuffing recipe to serve on the side. Any other stuffing preparation is a recipe for food poisoning.

To Roast:

Preheat oven to 450°. Set the rack inside your roasting pan. Pour 4 cups of water into the pan. Place your buttered and stuffed bird on the rack. Place the roasting pan in your oven and roast uncovered for 30 minutes.

Reduce oven to 325°. Baste turkey with pan juices; add more water if needed to maintain at least 1/4-inch liquid in the bottom of your roasting pan. From here, you'll roast for 30 minutes; baste with pan juices, repeat, tenting with foil if turning too dark, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165° (juices should run clear when thermometer is removed), about 2 3/4 hours total.

Transfer turkey to a platter. Tent with foil; let rest for 1 hour before carving and serving.

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