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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 there!
I’m very much looking forward to using your recipe for this years’ Thanksgiving bird! This being the first bird I’m making on my own, I’m a bit nervous! I’m going to be using an electric roasting pan in order to free up our oven since we’re making the whole meal at our house. Do you think the instructions will be the same with use of the electric roasting pan? I imagine so, but not sure. Thank you!!
McKenna
Hi McKenna! Unfortunately I am not at all familiar with an electric roaster, so I am not comfortable advising you on that. I recommend testing the turkey before Thanksgiving just to be sure! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I’ll be roasting a turkey this Thanksgiving and was glad to find this recipe. Food and Wine didn’t come up with anything new — my mother and grandmother used cheesecloth and butter to roast their turkeys to perfection too. Thanks for sharing your amazing recipes, techniques and creativity!
I am so glad you are enjoying my posts and I hope this turns out amazing for you on Thanksgiving, Kathy! Thank you so much!
Hey there! Is the lemon necessary for the flavor to turn out? I’ve had a bad experience with lemon and poultry, and haven’t been able to use lemon in my cooking since :/
Hey Melissa! Lemon is a really great flavor with poultry so I do recommend giving it a try. That said, I am sure the turkey will still be great without the lemon. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Looks so beautiful. If u roast a 14 pound turkey for 8 people how will u feed 30? Will you roast a bigger bird or roast a couple of birds? Do u think bigger birds are as tasty? I love your blog and will be using all of your recipes for my Thanksgiving dinner for 14 people! ?
HI! I like to roast 2 (14-16 pound) turkey’s, but I serve about 20-15 people. I prefer smaller to medium size turkeys. If you are serving 14 people I would roast 2 turkeys or 1 large. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
This looks great! We’re hosting a small group & had planned on doing turkey breast. Could this be adapted for turkey breast? How would you do that?
Hey Katie, A turkey breast will require a much shorter cooking time. I recommend referring to the turkey breast packaging for cooking times. You can use the same seasonings/butter and the cheesecloth cooking method that I use with this recipe. That will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
This looks amazing! Quick and potentially silly question. Cheesecloth …. I went to amazon to order and there are different grades….what do I buy!!! Thanks in advance!
Hey Colleen! Below is the cheesecloth I buy. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
https://rstyle.me/n/da62exb9wzf
Hello I’m making my first turkey this year and am a little intimidated. I was planning to brine, but this looks much easier! There are only four of us so I’m getting an 8lb bird. Would you still cook at 450 for 45 minutes and then finish at 350? Or would you reduce the amount of time at 450 since the total time will be much less than yours was?
thank you!
Hey Jasmin! I would 450 for 20-25 minutes, then reduce the oven temp. Please let me know if you have any other questions at all. Happy to help with your first turkey! I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Made this turkey yesterday for Easter dinner. My first turkey ever! It was so good. The cheesecloth method and adding the broth makes the turkey so moist, but crispy at the same time.
I am so glad this turned out amazing for you Ally! Thank you!
Omg! First time attempting to cook a turkey. I have to say thank you!! I’m so glad I found you just in time. It’s came out great. Everyone really enjoyed it.
That is so great! Thank you Bertha!
What would the cooking time be if I wanted to add dressing inside the cavity? Looks delicious!
HI! I am not comfortable saying as I never cook my stuffing inside the bird. I would try doing some google searching and see what is recommend. So sorry I could not help more. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Happy Holiday’s ? 🙂
I can not even tell you how happy this recipe made me and my family! The gravy was SO AWESOME!!! I have not prepared a turkey in a long while as my Sister In Law usually prepares one. Well, she just lost her job because my turkey and gravy was ON POINT! I did make a mistake by not getting the fresh herbs though. I didn’t get to a grocery store that had fresh herbs in time. This will happen again at Christmas time. 🙂 I will take a photo and and add it to your IG when I prep this again then. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUCH AN AWESOME TURKEY AND GRAVY RECIPE. I followed it to the letter except for the fresh herbs and it was so very good. <3
I am so glad this turned out amazing for you Linda! I cannot wait to see the photo next time you make this! Thank you!
This was absolutely the best turkey I’ve ever had. It’s the first time there was more leftover ham than turkey. Yum!!!
That is so great! Thank you Bethany!
I have been hosting Thanksgiving dinner for my family + any stragglers for the last 20 years since my Dad passed away. I experiment with sides but the turkey has always been the same. This year I tried this recipe with the compound butter and the cheesecloth….WOW!!! It was the PERFECT bird agreed everyone. Thank you for another crowd pleaser at my house. I came across your blog and after cooking the pappardelle with sausage, butternut squash , san marzano tomatoes & burrata I was hooked! I took your cookbook out of the library (made 4 or 5 fabulous dishes) and then bought it! My kids now ask if dinner is from “that girl’s cookbook?” I look forward to your Christmas recipes.
Happy Thanksgiving ~ Eileen, NY
That is so sweet of you to host the Thanksgiving! I am really happy your turkey turned out amazing! And so glad you like the cookbook! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Eileen!
Made today was awesome! My 10 year old son loves to cook n did the meal with my help. Cheese cloth was genius and turkey was beautiful!! As bit trouble thicking gravy but rest followed and was great! Thanks
Thank you Sarah! I am so happy this turned out amazing!
Just finished the turkey and I swear this is the juiciest turkey ever. So flavorful! Definitely using this recipe again
Great! Thank you Ali! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!