Best Roasted Turkey Recipe We've Ever Made

whole turkey

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: turkey breast

Chicken is lower in fat, while turkey breast is more affordable.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier and can be cheaper than butter.

fresh herbs

🥗Healthier: dried herbs

💰Cheaper: herb blends

Dried herbs provide flavor without the cost of fresh.

chicken broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water with seasoning

Vegetable broth is lower in calories and can be made from scraps.

Prepare the herb butter by combining 1 pound of butter, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, ½ cup parsley leaves, ¼ cup sage leaves, 2 tablespoons thyme leaves, 3 cloves of garlic, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Slice an onion into wedges, chop 2 carrots, and 2 stalks of celery, and smash 5 garlic cloves. Toss these veggies into the bottom of the roasting pan along with fresh thyme and sage.

Add 8 cups of stock to the roasting pan.

Set a roasting rack into the pan.

Melt a quarter of the herb butter in a small saucepan over low heat.

Use your hands to create a pocket between the turkey breast meat and skin. Push the herb butter into the pocket and massage it over the breast and dark meat.

Truss the turkey using twine, tucking it under the neck, around the wings, and tying the drumsticks together.

Brush melted butter over the turkey, first breast-side down, then flip it back to breast-side up and brush more butter over the skin.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Roast the turkey for approximately 14 minutes per pound, basting periodically with pan drippings and rotating the pan for even browning.

While the turkey roasts, prepare the gravy base by finely chopping an onion and adding it to 4 cups of stock in a medium saucepan with fresh thyme and a bay leaf. Simmer covered for an hour, adding the neck and offal from the turkey.

After an hour, remove the solids from the gravy base, keeping the onion. Separate the broth from the fat in the roasting pan using a fat separator, reserving 3 to 4 cups of broth and ½ cup of fat for the gravy.

Make a roux by whisking 10 tablespoons of flour into the hot fat in a skillet, cooking over low heat until the flour is no longer grainy.

Combine the reserved broth with the onion stock and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the roux to thicken the gravy, adding ¼ cup of cream for extra creaminess.

Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Cut the turkey into thick slices, showcasing the garlic and herb butter underneath the skin.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens