Basic Roast Turkey
This time-tested roast turkey recipe requires only the most straightforward prep. But we devised a way to dress the turkey up once it’s ready to serve, by garnishing the bird with navel orange wedges and fresh flat-leaf parsley or celery leaves. This way, by the time it arrives at the table, your Thanksgiving guests will be sure you’ve put in extra work (when in reality, your turkey’s roasted in the oven mostly without intervention, thanks to a cup of water you’ll add to the roasting pan). Indeed, that simple kitchen hack frees you up from near-constant basting so you can focus on mashed potatoes, stuffing, and the works.