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It’s finally time for Turkey Talk!! I LOVE this herb and butter roasted turkey with white wine pan gravy.

Herb and Butter Roasted Turkey with White Wine Pan Gravy | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

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!!

overhead photo of Herb and Butter Roasted Turkey before adding cheesecloth and before roasting

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.

overhead photo of Herb and Butter Roasted Turkey with cheesecloth draped over turkey before roasting

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.

Herb and Butter Roasted Turkey with White Wine Pan Gravy | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

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. 🙂

Herb and Butter Roasted Turkey with White Wine Pan Gravy | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

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!

Herb and Butter Roasted Turkey with White Wine Pan Gravy | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

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 | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest
@halfbakedharvest

soak the cheesecloth in butter. perfect turkey every time #thanksgivingturkey #turkeytiktok #turkeyrecipe #comfortfood #tiktokrecipe

♬ All Too Well (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift

Herb and Butter Roasted Turkey with White Wine Pan Gravy.

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Freeze/Rest 40 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
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.

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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. 
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Herb and Butter Roasted Turkey with White Wine Pan Gravy | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

That picture? It makes you happy and excited, right?? I know, me too!!

This post was originally published on November 2, 2015
4.36 from 1729 votes (1,501 ratings without comment)

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Comments

    1. Hi Grace,
      You will need to add 12 minutes per pound to this recipe for a 20 pound bird.

      I hope you love this recipe! Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply

  2. Hi! Can’t wait to try this recipe. All your recipes are amazing! Can you confirm if you use a roasting rack for this? Some of the images show without and one with.

    Thank you

    Reply

    1. Hi Danielle,
      Thanks so much! If you have a roasting rack you can use it, if not, no big deal! I hope you love this recipe!

      Please let me know if you have any other questions!

      Reply

  3. Hi Tieghan, we made this last year and it was delicious. We are repeating this year, just bought the cheese cloth. Happy Thanksgiving! The Moores

    Reply

  4. 5 stars
    Hi Tieghan, Happy Thanksgiving!

    Assume I begin roasting at 12
    12:45 reduce temperature to 350°
    2:45 turkey should be done

    What time do you add the 1-2 cups of broth?

    What times would you do your 2 bastings? (I’m a better baker than cook😭)

    Thanks for your help!

    Reply

    1. Hi there,
      What size is your turkey? You can baste at any point during the cook times, you can’t go wrong there:)

      Reply

  5. Hi! Is this recipe ok to do with a turkey that has been wet brined? Sorry if this is a dumb question, first time turkey cook here!

    Reply

    1. Hi Emily,
      Not a dumb question at all! Yes, that would be just fine for you to do! I hope you love this recipe!

      Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply

  8. I just want to get clarification if u want to do steps 1-4 the night before. Would that still include soaking the cheesecloth and putting it on the turkey that night or should u wait until the next morning to do that?

    Reply

    1. Hi Emily,
      I don’t brine my turkey and the cheesecloth gives this plenty of moisture.

      Please let me know if you have any other questions!

      Reply

      1. This is the best recipe! I’ve made this recipe many times with a similar sized bird and LOVED the results! This year we have a much bigger bird – 26lbs! I’m wondering if I should only be extending the cook time at the 350 degree temperature to compensate for the size of the bird or if I should be cooking it longer at 450 degrees as well….what do you suggest?

        Reply

        1. Hey Karen,
          I’m grateful you tried this recipe and took the time to comment. Delighted it turned out! For a larger turkey, just extend the bake time at 350F. I hope this helps!

          Happy Thanksgiving!

          Reply

    1. Hi Nicole,
      So sorry, I am not sure. I would not recommend stuffing your turkey, as you are going to have to cook it much longer in order for the stuffing to be safe to eat.

      Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!

      Reply

      1. Hi there. A bit late in the game to be asking questions but is it ok if the turkey is sitting directly in the liquid if I don’t have a rack and am just using a big disposable aluminum roasting pan? Or should I elevate it?

        Reply

    1. Hi Zaria,
      I am so sorry, I am honestly not sure, I have never used an electric roaster before.

      Please let me know if I can help in any other way!

      Reply

    1. Hi Megan,
      You will need to reduce the cook time by 12 minutes per pound.

      Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply

    1. Hi Erin,
      You bet, that will work nicely for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions!

      Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply