Unless you have access to multiple ovens, only a very large turkey will do when you’ve got a crowd coming to dinner. But finding a container large enough to brine a gargantuan bird can be tricky, and turning the bird in the oven (our usual method for evenly cooked meat) can be tricky.
We wanted the Norman Rockwell picture of perfection: a crisp, mahogany skin wrapped around tender, moist meat. And it had to be easy to prepare in a real home kitchen. We chose a Butterball turkey, which has already been brined for juicy flavor (a kosher bird, which has been salted, works well, too).
A combination of high and low heat produced a tender, juicy bird with deeply browned skin. We boosted the savory flavor with the addition of onion, carrot, and celery, and a quartered lemon added bright, clean flavor.
After roasting, we allowed the turkey to rest so the juices could redistribute. If you are reluctant to rotate the turkey, skip the step of lining the V-rack with foil and roast the bird breast side up for the full time. Serve with Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy (recipe follows).