Once your turkey has thawed completely, open it and detach any plastic pieces and from the cavity remove the neck and any bags containing the liver and giblets, etc. I like saving the neck to make homemade turkey stock, but you can also save that and any of the organs from the bag to make gravy if you like. Keep those pieces refrigerated.

Set the turkey on a rack set in a baking sheet and use paper towels to dry the outside of the bird as well as you can. Use some more to clean and dry the cavity as well. Gently separate the skin from the meat as best you can without tearing it. Liberally apply a tablespoon of kosher salt to the inside and outside of the turkey, as well as under the skin.

Preheat your oven to 425°F / 220°C and move the oven rack to the lower part of the oven. Depending on the size of your turkey, the middle of the bird should be roughly in the middle of the oven. Leave the salted turkey sitting at room temperature for an hour before cooking. While it sits, prepare the seasoned butter.

In a small bowl, add ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground white pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon ground cayenne, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried thyme and mix. In another bowl, add 12 tablespoons of softened butter and make sure it’s soft enough to smash down. Add the seasoning blend over the butter and smash and mix them until you have a compound butter.

After the hour has elapsed, spread the seasoned butter all over the turkey. Be sure to get inside the cavity and under the skin again. If using the vegetables and orange, chop them coarsely and stuff them inside the turkey cavity and add the rest to the bottom of the roasting pan. Tie the legs together if you like and cover or tuck the wing ends under the turkey.

Move the turkey to the rack from the roasting pan, breast side up, and place into the roasting pan. Place in the oven, legs towards the back.

Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, then turn the heat down to 325°F / 160°C. If at any point the vegetables on the bottom look too dry or dark from a lack of drippings, add 1-2 cups of water or chicken/turkey stock. If the turkey seems to be browning too fast for you, tent it with some foil. It should be a dark, golden brown at the end.

Baking times can vary a lot, so never rely on timers. A rough gauging of 13-18 minutes per pound is a good estimate, but always use a quality instant-read thermometer to check doneness. The breasts should register around 155-160°F and the thighs about 165-170°F. After removing from the oven, carry-over cooking will finish heating it the rest of the way.

When finished cooking, remove the roasting pan from the oven. Move the turkey to a clean baking sheet with a rack set inside. Tent the turkey with foil and allow it to rest at least 35-45 minutes before slicing into it.