Roast Turkey Recipe

Whole golden, juicy roast turkey on a serving platter

This Roasted Turkey Recipe with homemade gravy has been my family's Thanksgiving tradition for more than 25 years. The turkey is brined for exceptional juiciness, coated with a flavorful garlic herb butter, and roasted until beautifully golden with tender, juicy meat in every slice. The rich, silky gravy is made from homemade turkey broth and flavorful pan drippings, making this an unforgettable holiday centerpiece that's surprisingly easy to prepare.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword roasted turkey recipes

Prep Time 1 10

Cook Time 5 30

Brine and Resting Time 1 1

Total Time 1 7 40

Servings - 12 servings

Calories 856kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Brine Turkey (Up to 24 Hours Ahead)

Here's the Brine Recipe

Turkey Broth

2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil
reserved turkey neck and giblets
1 large onion, ccoarsely chopped
1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 dried bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh parsley
3 cups chicken or turkey broth
3 cups water

Compound Butter

2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
12 tablespoons butter salted and room temperature
4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons parsley freshly chopped
1 teaspoon black pepper divided

Turkey

1 whole turkey, giblets removed (approx 12-15 pounds)
1 large onion, quartered
1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large orange, cut into 8ths
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 to 2 cups reserved turkey broth

Gravy

4 cups turkey broth
1 cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
salt + black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Brine the Turkey (Up to 24 Hours Ahead)

Remove the giblets. Remove the turkey neck, heart, and gizzard from the cavity and set them aside for the turkey broth.
Brine the turkey. Cover and refrigerate the turkey in the prepared brine for up to 24 hours according to the Turkey Brine Recipe.

Make Turkey Broth

Brown the giblets. Heat the oil (2 tablespoons) in a large, wide, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the reserved turkey neck, heart, and gizzard, and cook until lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the vegetables. Stir in the onion (1), carrot (1), celery (1 stalk), bay leaf (1), fresh thyme (2 sprigs), and fresh parsley (4 sprigs). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
Simmer the broth. Pour in the turkey or chicken broth (3 cups) and water (3 cups) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the broth is reduced to about 4 cups, about 1 hour.
Strain the broth. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or heatproof bowl. Discard the vegetables, herbs, turkey neck, and giblets.

Prep Turkey

Preheat the oven. Arrange an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325°F.
Dry the turkey. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat it completely dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Place the turkey on a roasting rack set over a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet and let it stand for 1 hour to allow any excess liquid to drain from the cavity. Pat the turkey dry once more just before seasoning.

Make Compound Butter

Mix the compound butter. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter (12 tablespoons), lemon juice (2 tablespoons), garlic (4 cloves), poultry seasoning (1 teaspoon), the remaining black pepper, and parsley (2 tablespoons). Stir until well combined.
Butter under the skin. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin over the turkey breast without tearing it. Spread a thin layer of the compound butter evenly over the breast meat beneath the skin, reserving the remaining butter for the outside of the turkey.

Roast Turkey

Butter the turkey. Rub the remaining compound butter evenly over the outside of the turkey.
Fill the cavity. Place the orange (1) and as much of the onion (1), carrot (1), celery (1 large stalk), bay leaves (2), and thyme (2 sprigs) as will comfortably fit inside the turkey cavity. Scatter any remaining vegetables and herbs in the bottom of the roasting pan. Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine.
Prepare the roasting pan. Pour the reserved turkey broth (1½ to 2 cups) into the bottom of a large roasting pan. Set a roasting rack over the vegetables, then place the turkey breast-side up on the rack.
Roast the turkey. Roast the turkey, uncovered, at 325°F. If the breast or drumsticks begin to brown too quickly, loosely tent them with aluminum foil.
If desired, baste the turkey once or twice during the remaining cooking time with the pan drippings. If the liquid in the pan begins to evaporate, add a little more reserved turkey broth as needed.
Total roasting time will vary depending on the size of your turkey, but plan on about 2¾ to 3 hours for a 14- to 16-pound turkey.
The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F and the thickest part of the breast registers 160°F.
Rest the turkey. Transfer the turkey to a serving platter or carving board and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let the turkey rest for 30 to 45 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.

Make The Gravy

Prepare the drippings. Pour the pan drippings through a fine-mesh strainer into a fat separator or large heatproof bowl. Let stand for several minutes, then skim off most of the fat, reserving the flavorful pan juices.
Make the gravy base. Place the roasting pan across two stovetop burners over medium heat. Return the reserved pan juices to the roasting pan along with the white wine and 4 cups of turkey broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the gravy base into a large heatproof measuring cup or bowl and set aside.
Make the roux. In a large 4- to 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant.
Finish the gravy. Slowly whisk the warm gravy base into the roux a little at a time until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking frequently, until thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Notes

Dry thoroughly before buttering. Moisture prevents browning, so blot the turkey well before adding the butter.
Warm the basting liquid. Heat the stock before spooning it over the turkey so you’re not repeatedly cooling down the surface of the bird during roasting.
Don’t rely on the pop-up thermometer. Always use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness—it’s the most reliable way to know when your turkey is ready.

Nutrition