Ingredients

• 1 fresh, all natural turkey
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Kosher salt
• 2 navel oranges, each cut into 8 wedges
• 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut in half
• 1 celery stalk, cut in half
• 3 fresh rosemary sprigs (4 to 5 inches long)
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 10 fresh sage leaves
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

Procedure

1. Preheat over to 325 degrees
2. Rinse turkey well and pat dry. Season cavity generously with salt and pepper. Place Place 4 orange wedges, onion, carrot, celery, 1 rosemary sprig, 3 sprigs thyme, and 4 sage leaves. Fasten turkey close with a turkey skewer or tie drumsticks securely to tail and twist wing tips under the back.
3. For the basting butter chop remaining rosemary, thyme and sage. Place in a small sauce pan along with the butter and bourbon and heat until melted.
4. Place bird, breast side up, on rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush skin lightly with basting butter. Insert a meat thermometer into center of one of the inside thigh muscles, but not touching bone. Cover bird loosely with foil, leaving air space between bird and foil. Roast in a 325 degree F oven basting about every half hour with the butter herb mixture. Continue to roast, covered with foil until thermometer registers 160 degree F. Allow turkey to rest 30 minutes before carving.