Roast Turkey with Gravy

Golden, juicy roasted turkey + silky homemade gravy—step-by-step tips, foolproof flavor, and everything you need for a perfect holiday bird.

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

Remove turkey neck, heart, and gizzard and save for turkey stock
Remove the turkey neck, heart, and gizzard and set aside for making turkey stock. Brine the turkey, covered and refrigerated, for up to 24 hours. (See my Brine Recipe).

To make the turkey broth, warm the oil (2 tablespoons) in a large, wide, heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey neck, heart, and gizzard, and sauté just until they start to brown—about a minute.
Add the chopped onion (1), carrots (1), celery (1 stalk ), bay leaf (1), fresh thyme (2 sprigs), and fresh parsley (4 srpigs) to the pan and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
Pour the stock (3 cups) and 3 cups of water into the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid reduces to about 4 cups, around 1 hour. Stir in the chopped liver (optional) during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Strain the stock into a clean pot or large measuring cup, discarding the solids. Optionally, once it’s cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the turkey neck, chop it along with the giblets, and set them aside—you’ll stir them into the gravy later for that rich, old-fashioned flavor Grandma would approve of. The gravy will still be fabulous if you choose not to add this meat to it!!

Arrange the oven rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat to 325°F (163ºC).
Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Pat completely dry—inside and out—with paper towels. Let the rinsed turkey rest at room temperature for about 1 hour before baking. Pat dry again just before seasoning.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the butter (12 tablespoons), lemon juice (2 tablespoons), garlic (4 cloves), poultry seasoning (1 teaspoon), remaining black pepper, and parsley (2 tablespoons).
Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin, pulling the skin away from the breast meat. Spread a small amount of the butter underneath all over breast meat. Be careful not to tear the skin—you’ll use the rest in steps below.

Rub the remaining compound butter all over the turkey. Set the turkey breast-side down in a sturdy roasting pan.
Fill the cavity with the onion, orange (1), celery (1 large stalk), carrot (1), bay leaves (2), and thyme (2 sprigs). Use kitchen twine to loosely tie the drumsticks together.
Add the chopped vegetables in pan around turkey, then pour in the chicken broth (1 1/2 to 2 cups).
Roast the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour.
Remove the turkey from the oven, carefully turn turkey breast side up, and spoon about 1/2 cup of warm stock over the top to keep things juicy.
Place back in the oven and continue roasting, basting the turkey every hour with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of chicken or turkey stock—those golden drippings are pure flavor magic! until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74ºC) in the thickest part of the thigh (just be sure your thermometer isn’t touching the bone).
Plan for a total cooking time of about 2 3/4 to 3 hours.
Remove from the oven and place on a platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.

Pour the reserved turkey drippings into a glass measuring cup and skim off the fat from the top.
Set your roasting pan across two stovetop burners over medium heat, then pour in the pan juices, 1 cup of turkey broth, and the white wine (1 cup). Stir and scrape up all those golden brown bits from the bottom—that’s where the real flavor hides!
Add the remaining 3 cups of broth, bring everything to a gentle simmer, and then carefully pour the mixture into a large measuring cup to use for your gravy.
In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter (4 tablespoons) over medium-high heat until it’s bubbly and golden. Sprinkle in the flour (1/4 cup) and stir constantly to create a light roux—it should smell slightly nutty.
Slowly whisk in the hot stock, a little at a time, until smooth. Let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the gravy thickens to silky perfection.
Stir in the chopped neck meat and giblets, then season to taste with salt and plenty of black pepper. Pour into a gravy boat and serve it warm—it’s pure holiday comfort in a pour!

Dry thoroughly before buttering. Moisture prevents browning, so blot well before adding butter.
Warm basting liquid = even cooking. Cold liquid can slow down roasting, so heat your stock before spooning it over the bird.
Flip with confidence. Use two sturdy wads of paper towels or turkey lifters to safely turn the bird after its first hour of roasting.
Don’t rely on the pop-up thermometer. Always use an instant-read thermometer for accuracy—it’s your best friend on turkey day.