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1
Combine the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, sage, thyme, salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
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2
Mix well and set aside.
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3
Position an oven rack on the second-lowest level in the oven.
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4
Preheat the oven to 500F.
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5
Have ready a large roasting pan with a roasting rack, preferably V-shaped, set in the pan.
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6
Put 1/2 cup of the vegetable mixture inside the neck cavity and 1 1/2 cups inside the chest cavity.
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7
Scatter the remainder on the bottom of the roasting pan and add 2 cups of water to the pan.
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8
Truss the turkey following the directions below.
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9
Use a pastry brush to brush the turkey with half of the butter.
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10
Place the turkey, breast-side down, on the rack.
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11
Roast for 30 minutes.
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12
Lower the oven temperature to 350F.
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13
Baste the turkey with the pan juices, and roast an additional 30 minutes.
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14
Remove the turkey from the oven.
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15
Using oven mitts covered with aluminum foil, or wads of paper towels, turn the turkey breast-side up.
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16
Baste with pan juices, and then return the turkey to the oven.
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17
Continue to roast, basting with pan juices after 45 minutes.
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18
After another 45 minutes, baste with the remaining butter.
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19
The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer registers 165F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.
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20
When the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 125F, the turkey is about 1 hour away from being done.
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21
(Roasting times will vary, depending on the size of the bird, its temperature when it went into the oven, whether or not it is stuffed, and your particular oven and the accuracy of the thermostat.
