Next Post
Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Brioche Bread.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
It’s finally time for Turkey Talk!! I LOVE this herb and butter roasted turkey with white wine pan gravy.
Like November is here! I have only been waiting for this day since like, the beginning of August! I am such a freak, I mean who starts thinking about the holidays in the heat of the summer? Basically what I’m trying to say is that this post has been a long time coming.
While everybody was enjoying all the things that go along with October, I was roasting turkeys, mashing potatoes and eating Thanksgiving dinner. Or well, at least towards the end of October I was. I try to be on top of things, but then somehow I always fail.
UGH.
But hey! I got the turkey made and um, I am pretty dang happy with it. I mean, come on. Doesn’t it look perfect?!?!
It is!!
Ok, so here’s the deal. When it comes to the holidays, I am all about traditional. I love traditions and to be honest, I don’t like breaking them. That said, I do love to switch little things up just a little with things like side dishes and desserts. But the turkey?
The turkey has to be classic. Herbs and butter. Nothing fancy, nothing overdone. Just classic, simple and delicious flavors.
For as long as I can remember, my mom has always cooked the Thanksgiving bird. Even last year, she cooked the turkey. She is a good turkey roaster and we had a good thing going. I’d do the sides + desserts + apps and she handled the turkey…although last year, I do recall that she and my dad were out hiking for most the time the turkey was cooking leaving me to tend to it.
Actually, as I recall, she and dad were still hiking when people began arriving for dinner. Typical.
Anyway, I love my mom’s classic turkey, so I took inspiration from her, read a whole bunch online and then made some turkeys (yup plural, and I still have three more to make between now and Christmas). And you guys, I swear by this turkey you see here today.
It’s perfection and I could not be more excited about it.
As you can read from the title, Herb and Butter Roasted Turkey with White Wine Pan Gravy, my turkey is simple and traditional. Pretty sure it doesn’t get much more classic than this.
Just the way I like it.
The secret to my turkey is a butter soaked cheesecloth. I read about this method of cooking the bird in this month’s Food and Wine. The second I read about it, I knew I had to try it. It’s flipping genius!
You soak a layer of cheesecloth in melted butter (mine is full of fresh thyme, sage, parsley and lemon zest!) and then drape the butter soaked cheesecloth over the bird. Then you roast the turkey with the cheesecloth ON the bird. The cloth protects the skin from burning all while basting the turkey with butter the entire time it roasts.
Genius I tell you, and the skin comes out perfect, the meat is incredibly moist and the flavor is spot on! You do not even need to tent the bird with foil, the butter soaked cheesecloth works magic guys and it could not be easier.
Soo the gravy though?!? My mom has alway has always had trouble with gravy. Like it was either clumpy, too thin or flavorless. I get it, gravy can be hard, but this pan gravy will make your life simple. Nothing too tricky and it gets made in the very same pan you roast the turkey in. Hello less dishes – YES!
Plus, the flavor is out of this world. It’s all about those pan drippings. 🙂
So are you excited yet?? Are you going to start planning Thanksgiving? It’s T-minus twenty days away and I have then next couple weeks packed with my personal Thanksgiving menu. Think sweet taters, pies, cookies, mashers, casseroles, salad, bread and the works. I may even throw a few drinks your way this holiday season too.
Wait, question: are we into drinks? Like cocktails? With booze? Let me know.
It’s gonna be a really good November. But since Turkey is the star of the show, I figured I would start there.
Next up are the apps, sides, desserts and a couple easy dinners too (you know cause we all gotta eat between now and the big day – duh!).
YUM. Did you break out the stretchy pants yet, cause I think it may be time. I am full-force (like intensely so) in all holiday GO mode, so excited!
SIDE NOTE: My dad asked, since we had turkey in October, if that meant we could skip it at Thanksgiving. I practically looked at him like he was insane. I mean, what??!? Who skips the turkey on Thanksgiving? Guys, he is out of his mind I tell ya. Like losing it BIG TIME.
Or he’s just a giant Scrooge, thinking a combo of both actually.
Herb and Butter Roasted Turkey with White Wine Pan Gravy.
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 671 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 (14-16) pound turkey, giblets and neck removed
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage, plus more for stuffing the bird
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, plus more for stuffing the bird
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 piece large of double lined cheesecloth
- 2 lemons, halved
- 1 garlic head, tips sliced off
- 1 onion, halved
- 7-8 cups low sodium chicken or turkey broth
White Wine Pan Gravy
- 1 cup white wine
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- drippings from the turkey
- 2-3 cups low sodium chicken or turkey broth, as needed
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 1. Remove the turkey from the fridge one hour before roasting. Remove the giblets + neck and allow to come to room temperature.2. Make the butter. In a medium bowl, combine the 1 stick butter, the sage, thyme, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper. 3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan.4. Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper and fill the cavity with the, lemons, garlic and onion. Gently lift the skin of the turkey by using your fingers and going in between the skin and body of the bird. Rub the herb butter under the skin of the bird, spreading some of the butter on top of the skin as well. Take the remaining 1 stick butter and melt it over the low heat on the stove or in the microwave. Dampen your cheesecloth with warm water and squeeze dry. Submerge the cheesecloth in the melted butter, making sure all the cheese cloth has soaked up the butter. Lay the cheesecloth over the bird, covering most of the bird. Drizzle any remaining butter over the turkey.5. Pour 4 cups of chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting plan. Place the roasting pan in the oven and roast for 45 minutes at 450 degrees F. After 45 minutes reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and continue cooking for another 2 hours (until the turkey registers 160 F. on a meat thermometer), adding 1-2 cup of broth half way through roasting. I like to baste the turkey with the drippings 2 times throughout cooking and when doing so rotate the roasting pan.6. Remove the turkey from the oven and remove the cheesecloth, transfer the turkey to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil and let rest 20-30 minutes before slicing.7. Make the gravy. Strain the liquid from the roasting pan, skimming off most of the fat. I like to pour the broth into a 4 cup measuring cup and then place in the freezer for 10 minutes. This helps the fat rise to the top of the surface. Once you have skimmed the fat, add enough broth to equal about 4-5 cups total of drippings/broth.8. Place the roasting pan over two burners and add a splash of wine (about 1/2 cup) to deglaze the pan. You want to scrape up all those brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Once the pan is throughly deglazed, add the butter and once melted, add the flour whisking to combine. Cook stirring constantly, until the mixture is golden, around 5 minutes.9. Increase heat to medium high and add the remaining 1/2 cup of white wine, whisking as you go to let the wine reduce down. Slowly add reserved broth, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the sage and cook, continuing to stir, until the gravy has thickened to your desired thickness, around 8 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm with the turkey.
Notes
To save a little time, you can prepare the compound butter up to a week in advance. Just store, covered in the fridge until ready to use.
Here is the cheesecloth I use.
That picture? It makes you happy and excited, right?? I know, me too!!
This post was originally published on November 2, 2015
Absolutely delicious! Made this for Thanksgiving this year (my first solo turkey!) and it turned out perfectly. Made a 20-lb turkey, so just adjusted the recipe by ~1.4X and it was a serious crowd pleaser. Followed directions to the T with the exception of bird direction – I cooked the turkey breast-side down (just because that’s how my aunt always cooked the turkey!). Will make this again next year!
I am so thrilled you all loved this recipe! Thank you so much for trying it out Susan!
Best Turkey ever! Should have taken a picture, it looked amazing!
Thank you Leslie!
This was delicious! Maybe the best turkey I have made so far! I will certainly use the cheese cloth trick again next time. Thank you!
Thank you so much Kate! I am so glad you loved this recipe!
I made this turkey for thanksgiving and it turned out great. I’ll definitely make it again next year!
Thank you so much Holly!
This is the worlds best turkey recipe EVER!! Thank you so much! Blew our minds!
Thank you so much Jennifer!
This was the first Thanksgiving turkey I’ve made, and it turned out so well! Thanks for the great recipe!
I am so glad you enjoyed this Kyle! Thank you!
Making this turkey today! Question: do we still put the cover of the roasting pan on? Or is just the cheesecloth On top and we don’t use the pan cover?
HI! I just use the cheesecloth. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you loved this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
It seems like a lot of salt for compound butter. After it’s mixed should it taste salty?
HI! The butter will be salty, but, because you are salting the turkey, you need a lot of salt. It works great. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
Ohhh, so good! We made it a day ahead, supposed to save it for the family tomorrow. But dang, it’s so delicious, we kept taking tastes as we were carving it. Tee hee! As they say, sorry not sorry.
It was a 24-pounder, we followed your helpful comments about 45 mins at 450 and the rest at 350, worked perfectly! The cheesecloth plus basting was like a magic formula for the most gorgeous skin. And those herbs make such a difference in the taste. My husband said it’s the best turkey we’ve ever made. I must agree.
Tieghan H. Gerard (H is for half-baked) — You’ve done it again!
Hi Julie! I am so glad this turned out perfectly for you! Thank you so much and I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Dear Tieghan, only what I can say is that you’re the best! I love every creation of yours. Just beautiful! I also admire your very talented brother, Red. What a talented family you are.
Happy turkey day!
Aw this is so sweet! Thank you so much! I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving!
Looks amazing!!
So is brining the turkey not necessary?
No need to brine the turkey! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
I never, ever leave comments, but I had to for this recipe! I followed the directions (we had an early Thanksgiving) and everything was spot on. Hands-down juiciest turkey EVER, and the gravy… amazingly delicious! Thank you so much for sharing. This is now my one-and-only-I’ll-never-need-another turkey and gravy recipe again.
Thank you so much Alisha! I am so glad you loved this recipe!
If I bought the cheesecloth but it’s not double-lined, can I use two on top of each other and it’ll work the same? First time hosting AND making a turkey so I want it to be perfect! 🙂
Thanks!
Hey Pam! 2 on top of each other is actually what I mean when I say double lined, so yes! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
This is the second year I’ve made this turkey recipe and it is to die for. It does not get easier than this. The only thing I do differently is the compound butter… I found a mixture of herbs I like (garlic, rosemary, thyme) that I have stuck with. I’m really not a big turkey fan but for the first time in my life I can honestly say I enjoyed this turkey as well as the white wine gravy.. soo good!! Definitely a recipe I’ve shared with others and will continue to use!
Hi Nicole! I am so glad you loved this recipe and hope you love it this year as well! Thank you!
This looks amazing!! (as are every recipe of yours that we make!) We typically use a cooking bag to reduce the cooking time of the turkey (cook it fully stuffed). Would you recommend not using a cooking bag if using the cheesecloth recipe? Thank you!!
Hi Christine, I am not familiar with cooking bags, but I would not recommend using both the cheesecloth and cooking bag. That said, the cheesecloth does not help the turkey to cook faster, so you should use your best judgment on what you feel is best for your turkey. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have other questions. I really hope you love this recipe! Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan