Prosciutto Sage Roasted Turkey

This is my go-to Turkey recipe and I started making it when I was 16 and B is in so much love with it, I will never make another for Thanksgiving. We usually get a few turkeys during November because they are super cheap and I bust them out throughout the year, BBQ'd turkey is fabulous in the summer!

I have modified this recipe to what works well for me but was inspired by this recipe. I make my butter the day before and separate out the 3/4 cup I use for the gravy in a container so I don't get turkey-nast around. This recipe is also a great starting point for any turkey or chicken, make any type of compound butter that suits your fancy!

Prosciutto Sage Roasted Turkey
Serves 12 for a 14 lb Turkey

1 Turkey - pick your desired size, this year I used a 14.5 pounder but I have made a 20-pounder with this recipe, just more butter
1 onion - quartered
1 orange - quartered
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Butter
2 sticks unsalted butter - softened
1 pack of fresh sage - usually about 3 twigs - leaves picked off and chopped
1 pack of fresh rosemary - usually about 3 twigs - leaves picked off and chopped
8 oz. Pancetta or Prosciutto, chopped
1 minced onion
3 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon Cayenne
1 teaspoon All Spice
1 Tablespoon Paprika
Salt and Pepper to Taste

1.  To make the butter - chop all the necessary ingredients and toss into a food processor or mixer, excluding the salt and pepper. Add the softened butter and mix or process. Add salt and pepper to taste, you want it a little saltier than normal because it will season the turkey nicely. Note - I used my stand mixer this year and I think the butter was a little too chunky still so I suggest the food processors as I have done in the past instead, it will be easier to spread on the turkey.
2. Preheat your oven to 375
3. Rinse and pat the turkey until it is dry, make sure to get the giblets and neck out while washing. Place in your roasting pan, mine has a rack which allows browning all around.
4. Slide your hand between the skin and turkey meat, starting with the breast/booty area. You will need to break some membranes along the way and make sure you get the skin in the drumsticks.
5. Then take your butter and slide it under the loosened skin, this will make sure the turkey is very moist and tender. Make sure it is all even and you will want to use about half of the butter under the skin. The remaining butter, spread all over the turkey on the outside, best part are those crispy Prosciutto bits that coat your turkey, yum! If you have any left over butter, throw it into the cavity for extra flava
6. Alternate the quartered onion and orange and stuff it into the cavity. Salt and pepper the outside of the turkey again, it is never a bad thing to have salty, crispy skin. Drizzle olive oil and your bird is ready!
7. Toss your turkey in and roast for 3.5-4 hours, check the internal temperature every hour to make sure your turkey is done and not dry. It should be 165 when you stick the thermometer into the turkey leg near the breast, do not touch the bone
8. Let that sucker sit for 20-30 minutes while you finish everything else up before you slice the bird.
9. Dig in and enjoy!

I saw a great tutorial on how to chop up the bird from Alton Brown - watch below!