1. If frozen, make sure your turkey is completely thawed (this can take 3-5 days in the fridge). Bring to room temperature for one hour, before starting. 
2. Preheat oven to 325 F and position the rack on the lower third of the oven. 
3. Prep the turkey. Unwrap the turkey from the top end and drain it in the sink. Remove the neck and gizzards (check both openings). You can let it drain/dry longer in the sink, positioning its cavity over a used wine bottle (much like beer-butt chicken). Place it on a sheet pan and pat it dry on all sides using paper towels. 
4. Make the herb butter. Place the softened butter in a bowl along with minced garlic,  1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, 1 tablespoon chopped sage, and 1 tablespoon chopped thyme. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, and mix well into a thick paste.  Set Aside. 
5. Roasting pan: Place ½ of the onion (cut in wedges) and cut vegetables in the bottom of your roasting pan along with the neck (cut in two).  Top with a roasting rack if using (or you can rest the turkey over the veggies).
6. Season and stuff: Sprinkle the back side, legs, wings and inside cavity of the turkey generously with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the already zested lemon (cut in half or wedges), the remaining half of the onion (wedges), and the remaining herbs. 
7. Butter the bird. Carefully use your fingers to separate the skin from the breast meat, being mindful to keep the skin intact.  (See photos.) You can enter through the neck area too. Rub the butter under the skin, over the breast meat and sides as evenly as possible.   Yes, it’s messy. Use any extras on your hands or in the bowl, to rub all over the top of the skin (breast area and legs), then season the top of the bird with salt and pepper. If you don’t have enough butter to lightly coat the top of the skin, use a little spray olive oil. 
8. Tuck and Tie: Tuck the wings under the bird—hint: picture clasping your hands behind your neck.  Tuck the wings this way, lifting them up and behind. Using kitchen twine, cross the legs and tie them closed. 
9. Bake in the lower oven for 15 minutes per pound of turkey. For a 12 lb turkey, this is roughly 3 hours. Check halfway through, rotating or tenting with foil to prevent over-browning. Turkey is done when the innermost part of the thigh and the thickest part of the breast reach 165F. 
10. Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing to prevent the juices from flowing out. 
11. Make the optional pan gravy below.  You can use some of the vegetables for the pan gravy or eat them – they are tasty! 

Note: If you are in a hurry, you can melt the butter, add the herbs, garlic, lemon, zest, salt, and pepper, and rub this all over the outside of the turkey; either way works. 🙂  The leftover roasted veggies are delicious, we always eat them!