Favorite Roasted Turkey and Gravy
If you've never made a turkey, here's a good beginner recipe. Orange, thyme, and sage add a lot of flavor without a lot of work.
Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
5 hrs 5 mins
Servings:
Makes 18 servings.
Ingredients
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4-1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
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3 Tbsp unsalted butter
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1 12-lb turkey, thawed if frozen
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2 tsp kosher salt
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1 tsp ground pepper
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3 medium onions, cut into quarters
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3 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
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1 orange, cut into 8 wedges
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4 thyme sprigs
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3 sage sprigs
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1/3 cup dry white wine
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3 Tbsp cornstarch
Directions
1.
Heat oven to 375 degrees F and place rack in lower third. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup broth and 2 tbsp butter until butter is melted; set aside.
2.
Remove giblets from turkey and reserve neck bone. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Place in a roasting pan with a rack and tuck back wings. Sprinkle body cavity with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper; fill with onion, carrot, orange and herb sprigs. Fill neck cavity with onion and orange, if desired; secure skin flap under turkey. Place any remaining vegetables in bottom of pan with neck bone and 1/4 cup broth. Rub turkey with remaining 1 tbsp butter, 1-1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Tie legs together.
3.
Cover pan with heavy-duty foil and seal around edges. Roast 1 hr. Reduce oven to 325 degrees F and roast 1 hr more. Remove foil and roast, basting with broth-butter mixture every 30 to 45 min, until an instant-read thermometer inserted 2 inches into inner thigh (without touching bone) registers 170 degrees F, 2 to 2-1/2 hrs. Remove turkey from oven, tent with foil and let stand 15 to 45 min before carving. Transfer turkey to a serving platter and remove rack from pan.
4.
For gravy, remove vegetables and neck bone from pan, then strain drippings into a fat separator; pour off fat. Place roasting pan over 2 burners, add wine and heat over medium-high heat to deglaze, scraping up any brown bits in pan. Stir in pan drippings and transfer to a medium saucepan. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil. Stir together remaining 1 cup broth and the cornstarch; whisk into saucepan. Simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2 min. Transfer to a bowl and serve with turkey. Makes 18 servings.
Nutrition information
Calories 285, Total Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 137 mg, Sodium 499 mg, Carbohydrate 5 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 45 g.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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how-tos
Recommended Recipe:
Herb-Roasted Turkey
This method produces all the good looks and moist flavor you dream of in a Thanksgiving turkey. Make sure you show this beauty off at the table before you carve it. Garnish your serving platter with fresh herb sprigs and citrus wedges.
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