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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
My significant other and I tried this recipe out as it was our first time cooking a turkey for Christmas 2020. Could not recommend it enough! It was so good, and loved the cheese cloth idea, definitely made the turkey moist. Thanks for all your recipes 🙂
Hey Michelle,
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I am Making this gorgeous turkey recipe today for Christmas. Do you leave it uncovered for the entire cooking time?
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Hey Nicole,
Yes, you can leave this uncovered. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi! I’m sorry if this question has already been asked but there were too many comments to go through. My question is, if you place the turkey on a rack and add 4 cups of broth to the pan, and continually add more broth to the bottom of the pan as it roasts, do you still end up with the good brown bits to scrape up when you deglaze the pan at the end? Are you adding liquid to the bottom to ensure a moist turkey?
Hey Debra,
Yes, you will still have the browned bits for the gravy. Yes, this makes for the perfect moist turkey. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Are you placing the bird on the rack
Of the roasting pan versus not on the bottom of the roasting pan so it is submerged in the broth?
This looks wonderful!
How do I adjust the cooking time for a smaller turkey?
Hey Melissa,
You will need to reduce by 12 minutes per pound. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi! I was wondering if this technique would apply on a countertop electric roasting oven? Thanks !
Hey Ana,
Sorry I can’t say for sure as I have never used an electric roasting oven. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
We had a small Thanksgiving dinner this year, so I decided to prepare a hen instead of turkey. I used this recipe and O.M.G. I have never had chicken that was so juicy and delicious. Between myself, my husband, our two kids (ages 16 and 23) and my in-laws, there was NO chicken left by that night, and the hen was 8.5 pounds! I think my in-laws swiped most of it to take home when they left. LOL! Thank you so much for such a wonderful recipe. My family is already asking when I’ll make it again. 🙂
I am so so happy this recipe turned out so well for you, Nicole!! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
Thanks for such a fool proof recipe! It was my first year ever making a turkey and I got the highest compliment from my family that this is the first “memorable” turkey they had ever had. The cheesecloth made the turkey so perfectly golden and delicious and I made the gravy ahead of time to cut out stress on Thanksgiving. My mom couldn’t believe how quickly the turkey cooked with the cheesecloth on, I felt like a total pro. So glad I found your recipes, every single one I’ve tried has been delicious.
Thank you so much Melinda! xTieghan
Every year turkey is my least favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal but that changed this year with this recipe! The white meat was just as moist as the dark meat and it tasted great! Our whole meal was HBH and was amazing!
Thank you so much Sara! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This was my first time ever making a turkey and I followed your recipe exactly and it could not have turned out more perfectly!!!! Everyone in my family said it was the best turkey they had ever had. Incredible.
Thank you so much Stephanie!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made the Thanksgiving turkey this year – for the first time!! And thanks to you and this recipe, it was an overwhelming success! The cheesecloth is GENIUS and made it so simple. Thank you so much!!
Thank you so much Casey! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This was the most moist and flavored turkey I’ve ever made. I won’t be searching for another turkey recipe next year as this will now be my go to recipe. I never write reviews but I find them helpful and wanted others to know this is a winner.
Thank you so much Stephanie! I am so happy you loved this one! xTieghan
This was by far the best turkey I have ever cooked! The skin was crispy, the meat was moist and tender, and the golden brown color of the turkey was picture perfect.
Amazing! Thank you Hannah! xTieghan
This was amazing! My husband and I celebrated our first married Thanksgiving alone because of covid, and making the turkey was definitely the most worrisome aspect. However, this turkey was so moist and flavorful. It’s honestly better than anything our moms made in the past. We did not have cheesecloth but used an old kitchen tea towel, which worked well. The roasting time was just a bit longer, but we used our meat thermometer, so that was not a problem. We loved this! Will definitely repeat next year.
Thank you so much Meghan! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Have you ever made this recipe with turkey breasts in a crock pot? It’s just my hubby and I this year thanks to COVID. I want to make sure I’m doing it right. This is our favorite turkey! We have about 13lbs of turkey breast. We’re ready for left overs!!!!
Hey Matina,
So sorry I have never tried this before! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Due to having just my immediate family for Thanksgiving this year, I was excited to try this recipe and make my first turkey ever! I actually bought an 8lb Turkey breast and used this recipe. Safe to say this is the BEST TURKEY IVE EVER HAD! I am no longer scared of making turkey. If you make this you MUST make the white wine gravy to go with it.
I am so happy this turned out so well for you, Jodie! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan