Remove the neck and the bag of giblets. Discard them, or save them for gravy. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
Next, season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Stuff it with the quartered lemon, onion, apple and herbs.
Tuck the wings underneath the turkey and set it on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan. Tucking the wings prevents them from burning, and helps the turkey sit flatter.
Use your fingers to loosen and lift the skin above the breasts and smooth a few tablespoons of butter underneath. Use some twine to tie the turkey legs together. Then slather the outside turkey in the rest of the butter.
That’s it! You are ready to let your oven do the rest of the work!