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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
We have a 24lb turkey. Aside from a different baking time, should I be okay to use the quantity of ingredients as listed or should I double the recipe? Also, can I bake the stuffing inside the bird?
Hi Tieghan! We are very excited to try this turkey. For a 12lb turkey – do you recommend cooking at 450 for 30 minutes and 2 hours at 350 or an even shorter cook time? Thank you!
Hey Virginia,
Yes I would do 450 for 30 minutes and then you will need to do 12 minutes per pound until you have an internal temp of 165. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this last night for Friendsgiving. I’ve never made a turkey before and this came out GREAT! Super juicy, the skin crisped up perfectly and the flavor was phenomenal. The gravy was one the best I have ever had. I doubled the gravy and added more chicken broth to stretch it out and it was still so flavorful. Everyone loved it. Super simple to make as well. 10/10 recommend, you will not regret it.
Thank you so much Katy! I am really happy this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Hello! Will be trying this for thanksgiving this year and I’m so excited. Do you need to adjust the cooking temperature for a smaller bird?
Hey Brittany,
Yes, you will need to reduce by 12 minutes per pound until the internal temp of the turkey reaches 165. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I have a 23-lb turkey. How do you recommend I adapt the cooking time with this method?
Hey Keri,
You will need to add 12 minutes per pound. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
I am hosting Thanksgiving for the very first time if my 54 years!!! Love your recipes and everything about your style!! I am diligently following your 2020 Thanksgiving! Starting with the delicious looking turkey!
My question: I am cooking an 18-20 lb turkey. Do you recommend sitting the turkey right in the roasting pan, not in a rack? Also do I still drop temp after 45 min with bigger bird? Lastly, should I plan adding about 1 hour (and use a thermometer) for the bigger size? Thank you for all your incredible photos, tips and beautiful recipes!!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Lisa
Hey Lisa,
Yes, you can use a roasting rack or place it directly in the pan. You will still drop the temp after 45 minutes and then you will need to cook for 12 minutes per pound after the 16 pounds until your turkey has reached an internal temp of 165. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This looks so delicious. I am making this recipe for Thanksgiving this year. Can I make this Wednesday night and finish it off in the oven on Thanksgiving Thursday?
Hey MK,
I like to do the whole recipe the day of. You could do the butter and cheesecloth part, but I would not bake until Thursday. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
so this turkey does not need to be brined…correct?
Making it this year and have never cooked a turkey before so am checking!
Hey Chelsea,
Yes, that is correct. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi! First time turkey baker here!!! So I’m a little nervous. Do I need to brine the turkey? Mine will be frozen so… I know I need to thaw it before I can begin anything. Really such a huge fan of your website. This last year in the pandemic I took it upon myself to teach myself how to cook and your website has been a godsend. Thank you!!!
Hey Meme,
I do not brine by turkey:) and yes you will need to allow 24 hours per 5 pounds for thawing. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can I pin this to my Pinterest ?
Hey Rebecca,
You sure can! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
What if we have a 19-25 pound turkey? Would you double the recipe or add any cooking time? Thank you!
Hey Jessica,
I would double the measurements and then you will need to add 12 minutes per pound to your cooking time. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I just moved to Germany and my little European oven is WAY too small for a roasting pan, but I am dying to use this recipe. Is there any way I could spatchcock the turkey and still use this recipe somehow?
Hey Briana,
I have never tried this, but you certainly could give it a go. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi! When you are basting, are you removing the cheesecloth? I know this is such a silly question but I want to make sure I do it right!
Hey Lisa,
Nope, you are going to baste over the cheesecloth. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This looks great! I plan to make this recipe for Thanksgiving this year. Question: we only have about an 11lb turkey. Does that change the length of cooking? Would we still roast at 450° and reduce after 45 minutes? Thanks!
Hey Darcie,
Yes that is correct, but you will need to reduce your roasting time by 12 minutes per pound until the internal temp of the turkey is 165. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This sounds so amazing this is my first year cooking the turkey so I’m a bit nervous haha … what wine do you use for the gravy?
Hey Mel,
I like to use Pinot Grigio. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan