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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
Hi Tieghan!
Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes – I’ve learned so much from this blog and your cookbooks! I’m cooking my first turkey this year and am so excited to try this recipe. I have two questions:
1) I noticed you baste your turkey 2-3 times throughout cooking. Do you remove the cheesecloth for this or baste over the cheesecloth?
2) We’ll be making the turkey / gravy at our place and then bringing it over to a friend’s house to eat. Do you have tips on re-heating both the turkey and the gravy when we get to my friend’s house so that it’s warm for serving?
Thanks so much!
Hi Tieghan!
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes – I have learned so much from your blog and cookbooks! I’m attempting to make my first turkey this year and am so excited to try this recipe. I have two questions:
1) I noticed you baste your turkey 2-3 times throughout cooking. Do you remove the cheesecloth for this or baste over the cheesecloth?
2) We’ll be making the turkey / gravy at our place and then bringing it over to a friend’s house to eat. Do you have tips on re-heating both the turkey and the gravy when we get to my friend’s house so that it’s warm for serving?
Thanks so much!
Hey Sierra,
Thanks so much for following along. I baste over the cheesecloth. The gravy you can reheat on the stove. The turkey is tricky because you don’t want to dry it out. I would cover with foil and see if it is still warm when you get to your destination. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I tried this recipe yesterday and Holy Cow! It is so good! I am making this my go to recipe forever! My boyfriend said it was the best turkey he had ever had, and the gravy was on point! I’m looking forward to making it again on Thanksgiving Day. Thank you Tieghan!
I am so happy this turned out so well for you, Devon! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
What is your fave roasting pan!?
Hey Jolene,
Here is the link for my roasting pan: https://rstyle.me/+kLvR9V714SeKUrtX9FzJLQ
I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Definitely going to try this!! When you say a double lined cheese cloth do you just fold it in half? I see the link you have for a cheesecloth on Amazon but wasn’t sure if I should cut it to size or fold it in half to make it double lined?
Hey Morgan,
Yes, just fold it in half. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I’m making turkey for the first time ever and I can’t wait to try your recipe! Never used cheesecloth so that would be a first for me too! I hope mine comes out as amazing as yours looks!
I hope you love this one! If you have any questions, I am here to help! xTieghan
Do you recommend brining the turkey at all?
Hey Katy,
I never brine my turkey:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I make this every year and it always turns out absolutely amazing (this will be the fourth year)! Last year I salted the gravy a little too much, but I hope to not make that mistake again this year! Have you ever used this recipe successfully with ghee instead of butter? My mother in law has an autoimmune disease and is on an elimination diet right now. We had planned to bring her some turkey that we make since we are going to be cooking by ourselves at home this year with all that is going on. We are going to have a lot of leftover and want to share. If not is there any other properties you know of ghee that would make it turn out any different?
Hey Courtney,
I am so glad you have enjoyed this recipe! I have never tried it with ghee, but I am thinking it will turn out just fine. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So many turkey recipes call for brining, but I see yours does not. Does that mean it’s not necessary for a moist turkey?
Hey Marty,
I never brine my turkey:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Do you pre-marinate the turkey before the day of? We live in Europe and they don’t sell butterball/salted turkeys, they come plain. Will this recipe work with those kind of turkeys?
Could this be adapted for a whole turkey breast? If so what steps would I take? Thank you in advance.
Hey Kendra,
Here is my recipe for turkey breast:
Butter Roasted Turkey Breasts
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 6
2 skin on, bone in turkey breasts (about 4-5 pounds total)
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter
1/3 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, sage, and parsley
zest of 1 lemon
kosher salt and black pepper
1 head garlic, skin left on and head cut in half horizontally
4 shallots, halved
1 cup white wine
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, combine the butter, herbs, lemon zest, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
3. Gently loosen skin from the turkey breasts. Rub butter under the skin and all over the outside of breasts. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Arrange the thyme sprigs, garlic, and shallots in large roasting pan and then place the turkey breasts, skin side up, on top. Roast turkey breasts, rotating halfway through, until skin is crisp and golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breasts registers 160 degrees F., about 45–55 minutes.
5. Transfer turkey breasts to a platter or cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Carve and serve the turkey breasts with pan drippings and roasted shallots.
I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Tip for awesome turkey gravy: Throw the giblets in a pot and cover with water — or even better, chicken or turkey broth and simmer while the turkey is roasting. Season as desire (sage, poultry seasoning, etc). Husband doesn’t like a lot of spice or seasoning so my gravy is pretty basic. I baste my turkey with melted butter so I have yummy drippings that I add to the broth and I thicken with corn starch. If you prefer flour, I would recommend you make a roux out of flour and butter and then add the broth and drippings to the roux. I don’t go this route because I prefer things easy and prefer not to dirty another pot.
Thank you so much Libby! xTieghan
Hi,
If you use the cheesecloth how does the turkey skin become golden?
Hey Cori,
I promise it will become golden and crisp:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Don’t throw away the cheesecloth loaded with flavor! Put it in your pot of stock where all the goodness will enrich the stock. Simmer it swirling around for a while. Lift it out and wring it out as much as possible, pressing the liquid out through a fine strainer over the pot. You will thank me for more and tastier gravy! You’re welcome in advance!
Thank you Kamila! xTieghan
This will be my first time cooking a turkey and I would like to use a family stuffing recipe that cooks inside the turkey, but I’m worried that the broth that goes into the pan will mess with the stuffing. Have you ever used a stuffing instead of the lemons and onions? Thank you!
Hey Shannon,
I highly recommend not stuffing the turkey with stuffing. In order for the stuffing to be safe to eat, you have to over cook the turkey and no one wants that:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan