- Prepare Herbed Butter ahead, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Remove the rack from the roaster oven. Cover and heat oven to 325°F.
- Remove giblets and neck from cavities of turkey. Discard or save for another use.
- Gently slide one hand under the turkey skin over the breast on both the whole turkey and turkey breast to loosen the membranes.
- Cut thin slices of chilled Herbed Butter and slide under the skin of the turkey breasts.
- Peel and thinly slice 1 of the apples into rings. Place apple slices under the skin of the turkey breasts.
- In a small bowl, stir together salt, paprika, ground black pepper and garlic powder.
- Sprinkle turkey and turkey breast generously with salt mixture.
- Cut remaining apples in wedges. Stuff cavities with a few apple and onion wedges.
- Arrange turkey and turkey breast on rack. Using handles on rack, place in roaster oven. Add remaining apples and onion around turkey and turkey breast in roaster oven.
- Cook and cook until meat thermometer registers 165°F in the thickest part of the turkey breast, 3 to 4 hours. Let stand 15 minutes before carving.
- To get the most flavor in pan drippings, mash apples and onions with juices in pan. Strain the juices and discard the fat. Follow Apple Cider Turkey Gravy recipe for making gravy.
Serves: 16-18
Test Kitchen Tip: Whole turkey may take longer to cook than turkey breast. Check temperature of turkey breast early and remove from roaster oven when done.