**If this is your first Thanksgiving turkey, I advise you to cook the stuffing separately until you are confident that you can cook the stuffing inside the turkey safely! Be well for the holidays!**

* 1 (14 pound) turkey
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
* 4 c. chicken broth
* 2 c. water
* 2 large yellow onions, peeled and quartered

* Herb Butter:
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 2 tablespoons dried thyme
* 2 tablespoons dried sage
* 2 tablespoons dried,flat leaf parsley
* 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
* 2 teaspoons dried rosemary

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

1. Remove giblets and neck from the turkey.
2. Rinse and dry bird.
3. Fold wing tips behind the turkey.
4. Season inside of turkey with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Combine butter and fresh herbs very well. Be sure herbs are evenly distributed.
6. Starting at the neck end of the turkey, loosen the skin by sliding your fingers underneath it, being VERY careful not to tear it.
7. Slide your hand as far as you can toward the other end of the turkey, separating the skin from the meat.
8. Rub two-thirds of the herb butter over the entire breast.
9. Tie drumsticks in front with oven safe twine.
10. Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan breast-side up.
11. Place onions inside the turkey.
12. Mix broth and water and place in roasting pan, beneath the rack.
13. Make a foil "tent" to keep the breast from cooking to quickly and place it loosely over the turkey.
14. Place turkey in oven and decrease the temperature to 350 degrees F AFTER the turkey has been placed in the oven.
15. Bake 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
16. Remove foil tent from turkey when 45 minutes are left and baste every 15 minutes with broth.
17. Melt remaining herb butter when there are 20 minutes left.
18. When there are only 15 minutes remaining, baste turkey with melted herb butter.
19. USE A MEAT THERMOMETER! The turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F and the breast meat reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F.
20. When the turkey is done, remove from the oven and let set 30 minutes before carving. This ensures that you have a moist turkey!

Enjoy!