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Chef John's Roast Turkey and Gravy

This roast turkey with gravy recipe is easy enough for a beginner. One of the secrets to a moist, delicious, and beautiful turkey is spreading butter under the skin. You can season the butter any way you want. The flavor possibilities are endless!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 50 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 16 people
Calories 7613.9 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Roasting pan
  • 1 Instant-Read Thermometer Essential for accurate doneness
  • 1 Medium Saucepan For making giblet stock
  • 1 Large Skillet For preparing the gravy
  • 1 Whisk For smooth gravy

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 12-pound whole turkey, neck and giblets reserved
  • 2 onions coarsely chopped
  • 3 ribs celery coarsely chopped
  • 2 carrots coarsely chopped
  • ½ bunch fresh sage
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 8 tablespoons butter softened
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon balsamic vinegar Optional
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  • Mix together kosher salt, black pepper, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Tuck turkey wings under bird and season the cavity with about 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining poultry seasoning mixture.
  • Toss together onions, celery, and carrots in a large bowl. Stuff about 1/2 cup vegetable mixture, sage, and rosemary sprigs into the turkey cavity. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Use your fingers or a small spatula to loosen skin over turkey breast. Place about 2 tablespoons butter under skin and spread evenly. Spread remaining 6 tablespoons butter all over the outside of skin. Sprinkle turkey with remaining poultry seasoning mix.
  • Spread remaining vegetable mixture into a large roasting pan. Place turkey on top of vegetables. Fill the pan with about 1/2 inch of water. Shape a sheet of aluminum foil over breast of turkey.
  • Roast turkey in the preheated oven until no longer pink near the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 ½ hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Remove the foil during the last hour of cooking and baste turkey with pan juices.
  • While turkey is roasting, make stock: Place neck and giblets in a medium saucepan with water and bay leaf. Simmer over medium heat for 2 hours. Strain stock and discard neck and giblets. There should be at least 4 cups of stock. Set stock aside.
  • Remove turkey from the oven. Carefully pour pan juices, about 3 cups, into a shallow bowl. Skim off turkey fat from pan juices, reserving about 2 tablespoons fat. Set aside pan juices. Cover turkey with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
  • While turkey is resting, make gravy: Heat 2 tablespoons reserved turkey fat and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer onion from the roasting pan into the skillet. Cook and stir until onion is browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour; cook and stir for about 5 minutes more. Whisk in 4 cups stock and reserved pan juices until smooth; skim off any foam. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Simmer, whisking constantly, until gravy is thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in sage; season with salt and black pepper. Cynthia Ross

Notes

1. The secret to an exceptionally moist and flavorful turkey lies in generously spreading softened butter under the skin. This bastes the breast meat from the inside out and helps crisp the skin. Feel free to infuse the butter with herbs or garlic for an extra layer of flavor. 2. Always allow the turkey to rest, covered, for at least 15-20 minutes after roasting. This critical step re-distributes the juices, ensuring a more tender and moist bird. 3. Skim the fat from the pan juices carefully before making the gravy for a cleaner, richer flavor without excessive greasiness. A good stock, made from the giblets, forms the backbone of a superior gravy.