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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
So excited to try this recipe! My cheesecloth comes today. The recipe just says 1 piece large double-lined cheesecloth. What are the measurements for that? I’m guessing I’ll have to cut the cloth to a particular size? Or does it just come in pieces?
Hi Kristen,
Just cut it to fit over your turkey and double line it:) Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Thanks! You too!! The cheesecloth didn’t arrive in time 🙁 . Now I have to make adjustment for today. Any suggestions? (If you end up seeing this today) When it arrives I will definitely be buying another turkey to try it out!
I hope it turned out okay!
So, what do we do with the garlic head once we pull it out of the cavity? Just discard it?
Yes that’s correct:) xTieghan
I’ve done this recipe a couple years in a row now and I love it! I have one question though, now I have a roasting pan, would this be different in the cooking process? How would you adjust it?
Hey Abigail,
Thanks so very much for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Sorry I am not sure what you mean, the recipe uses a roasting pan. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
if i am using a 12lb turkey whay would the cooking time be?
Same here!
Hi Olivia,
You will decrease your cooking time by 12 minutes per pound. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Probably too late for you, but in case others are curious in the future: I just did a 12.5lbs bird today and it reached 16oF internal temp in about 1.5 hours. first 40mins at 450, then down to 350 for last 45-60 mins. I recommend a probe thermometer for roasts like this to make sure you don’t overdo it! I was planning to go closer to 2 or 2.5 hours, which definitely would have dried out the bird.
This recipe looks amazing! Is it ok to skip the lemon?
Hi Maggie,
Sure, that would be okay to do. I hope you love the recipe. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Thank you! I am sensitive to lemon flavor for some reason so I was going to add celery and carrots instead. I can’t wait!
Am I going to ruin this recipe by using an oven bag to cook the turkey?! Ours is huge.
This looks fantastic!
Hi Brooke,
Sorry I don’t have any experience with an oven bag so I have no idea how that will turn out. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Can I cook my 18lb turkey with this recipe a little longer at a lower temp? 325 degrees for @ 4 1/2 hrs?
Hi Michelle,
That should work, just be sure the internal temp reaches 160F. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Would this method work with a boneless turkey? There will only be 3 for dinner so I am not doing a full turkey but really want to try this.
Hey Kelli,
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.
How do you adjust the cook time for a 20 pound Turkey?
Tieghan—
Thank you so much for your thanksgiving guide, a total lifesaver!
Could I do all the steps leading up to baking (butter, seasoning, cheesecloth prepped) the day before? So on the day of I would just need to let the turkey sit for an hour before baking, and then put the turkey in the oven and tend to the heat and basting instructions?
Hey Marla,
You can prep the compound butter but everything else needs to be done the day of:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Oh boy I did everything tonight. I should have read the comments. What’s going to happen?
Hopefully it will be okay!
Hi Lauren,
You will need to add 12 minutes per pound. I hope you love the recipe. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
I am so excited to make this. My menu this year is mostly HBH!
I am trying to make as much ahead of time as possible. Other than making the compound butter, is there anything else I can do the day before? Would you recomendo washing and prepping the Turkey the day before?
Thank you!
Hi Candice,
Sure you can definitely prep the turkey and do the butter, otherwise I would save the turkey for the day of. I hope you love the recipe. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Hey there
I have a wild Turkey, and am concerned it’s going to burn or not cook correctly! Do you happen to have any suggestions for a wild Turkey?
Hi Cheyenne,
Sorry, I am not really sure what you mean by this question, please provide more info and let me know how I can help. xTieghan
Do you have any suggestions for timing for a larger Turkey? Specifically a 19lb turkey?
Nevermind, I saw you already answered this below (12min/lb) Thank you and cannot wait to try this out!
I hope you love the recipe!
Hi Lauren,
You will need to add 12 minutes per pound. I hope you love the recipe. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
I am limited on my oven space for Thanksgiving dinner. Could I make the turkey the day before and warm up on Thanksgiving day? If so, any recommendations on reheating. I have a warming drawer and thought I might be able to utilize that so save my oven for other things day of.
Hey Erika,
The turkey is really the only thing I would not make in advance. Check out my Thanksgiving day menu, I mention the dishes to make in advance and a schedule for the oven:
https://fett-weg.today/our-2021-thanksgiving-menu-and-guide/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps! xTieghan
Hi, I am doing a turkey breast this year. What time adjustment should I make so it turns out well? We have a 3 1/2 lb breast. Thanks so much!
Hi Laurie,
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 love all of your recipes and I am so excited to make this turkey for the first time this year! I just noticed that you put your turkey on a rack in the roasting pan? I only have one of the disposable pans with no rack. Can I still make as is? Should I not add the broth to the pan?
Hey Kelly,
No worries, you can follow the recipe as is. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan