Ingredients – 3 tablespoon Kosher salt (not table salt!) – ¼ teaspoon garlic powder – ¼ teaspoon paprika – ¼ teaspoon onion powder – ¼ teaspoon black pepper – 1 pinch cayenne – ½ teaspoon dried basil – 2 tablespoon Freshly chopped Rosemary (or 2 teaspoon dried) – 1 whole 12-15lb Turkey
– In a mixing bowl or jar, combine the seasonings and set them aside.
– Remove all necks, giblets, bags, or unedible contents from the turkey. – Pat the turkey dry with a paper towel. This will help the seasonings to stick much better.
– Loosen the skin on the turkey by carefully working your hand in between the thick skin and meat. Loosen it as best as you can over the entire breast and some of the thigh area. The more you can get -the better.
– Smother the inside and out of the bird with the salt mixture. Make sure to rub under the loose skin and directly on the meat as well. – Place the turkey in a large pan and stick it in the fridge uncovered for 24 hours or up to 3 days.
– When ready to cook, allow the turkey to rest at room temperature as you preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
– Cook for roughly 2-3 hours (about 15 minutes per pound). Make sure to check on it every hours as it can come to temperature faster than expected. The thigh needs to reach 165 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
– After it's finished cooking, allow your turkey to rest for a good 30 minutes before carving. This helps to keep the juices in place and allows it to finish the last few minutes of cooking.