Turkey Dinner
intro
Juicy herb-roasted turkey with savory sourdough stuffing and rich pan gravy, the iconic cozy holiday meal made for gathering loved ones around the table.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep herb butter and turkey
Adjust your oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 165°C (325°F). In a small bowl, mix 113g softened unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, 1 tablespoon chopped thyme, all 6 minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper until fully combined. Gently loosen the skin from the turkey breast and thighs with clean fingers, rub 2/3 of the herb butter directly under the skin, then rub the remaining butter all over the turkey’s outer skin. Season the turkey cavity with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 0.5 teaspoon pepper.
Prep stuffing and pan base
Toss 450g cubed day-old sourdough, 1 diced yellow onion, 2 diced celery stalks, the remaining 1 tablespoon rosemary, remaining 1 tablespoon thyme, 240ml (1 cup) chicken broth, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large bowl until evenly moistened. Loosely stuff 3/4 of the bread mixture into the turkey cavity (do not pack tightly, as the stuffing expands while cooking). Scatter the 2 onion wedges, 3 carrots cut into 5cm pieces, and 2 celery stalks cut into 5cm pieces across the bottom of a heavy roasting pan, set a wire roasting rack on top of the vegetables, then place the stuffed turkey breast-side up on the rack.
Roast turkey to safe temp
Tuck the turkey wing tips under the bird to prevent burning, then drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the turkey skin. Place the roasting pan in the preheated 165°C (325°F) oven, and roast for 3 to 3.5 hours, basting the turkey with collected pan juices every 45 minutes. The turkey is fully cooked when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone) reads 74°C (165°F), and the stuffing inside the cavity also reaches 74°C (165°F).
Rest turkey, bake stuffing
Once cooked, carefully lift the turkey from the roasting rack and transfer it to a large wooden cutting board. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 30 minutes to allow juices to redistribute through the meat. While the turkey rests, spoon the remaining unstuffed bread mixture into a 20cm (8-inch) square baking dish, pour 120ml (0.5 cup) chicken broth over the top, and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25 minutes until the top is crispy and golden brown.
Make smooth pan gravy
Place the roasting pan with cooked vegetables and pan drippings directly on a stovetop burner over medium heat. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour over the drippings, and whisk constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the remaining 360ml (1.5 cups) chicken broth, scraping up all browned bits (fond) from the pan bottom to add depth of flavor. Simmer the gravy for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for a smooth texture if desired, then season with extra salt and pepper to taste.
Carve and serve dinner
After the 30-minute rest period, remove the foil from the turkey, scoop the cooked cavity stuffing out into a serving bowl, and carve the turkey into 1cm thick breast slices, separating the thighs and drumsticks from the bone. Arrange the carved turkey on a large warm serving platter alongside the crispy baked extra stuffing, and serve with the warm pan gravy drizzled over top or offered in a small gravy boat on the side.
Tips
2.Never skip the 30-minute rest period for the turkey: cutting into the bird immediately after roasting will cause all the flavorful internal juices to run out onto the cutting board, resulting in dry, bland meat.
3.Do not pack stuffing tightly into the turkey cavity; tight packing prevents even heat circulation, which can lead to undercooked stuffing that does not reach the food-safe temperature of 74°C (165°F).
OMG I made this for my family’s Sunday dinner last weekend and it was PERFECT! The skin was so crispy, the meat stayed juicy even the breast which I always overcook before. My 7 year old asked for thirds, that’s the highest praise possible lmao. Only note is I added a little extra garlic to the herb butter because we’re garlic obsessed in this house. 10/10 will be my go-to turkey recipe from now on for Thanksgiving too!
I was skeptical about a roast turkey recipe not being done on the smoker, but my wife asked for an oven roasted one for our early Thanksgiving potluck at her work and this did not disappoint. Cook time was spot on, hit 165°F right at the 4.5 hour mark for my 14lb bird, no guessing. The pan drippings made the best gravy I’ve ever made, full stop. 5 out of 5, even from a diehard smoker guy.
Game changer! I used to buy pre-cooked turkey for holiday meals because I was so intimidated by cooking a whole bird, but this step-by-step made it so doable even on a chaotic weeknight when I had the kids’ soccer practice running late. I prepped the herb butter the night before which cut down on day-of work so much. SO good, my husband thought I ordered takeout from a fancy steakhouse at first lmao.
Tried this for my first ever time cooking a whole turkey — I’m 26, just moved into my first apartment, and wanted to host my roommates for a friends dinner. Let’s just say I almost had a panic attack when I thought I thawed the turkey wrong, but the tips in the recipe for checking thaw status saved me. Only thing is I wish the recipe highlighted the rest time more? I only rested it 15 minutes and some of the juices ran out when I carved it, still tasted great though. Will absolutely make again.
My kids loved it! I served this with the classic mashed potatoes and green bean casserole last night for our weekly family dinner and there were zero leftovers, which never happens in my house. The herb blend is perfectly balanced, not too sage-y which I hate about a lot of turkey recipes. I did brine my bird for 12 hours beforehand like I always do and it was so juicy, paired so well with the recipe’s seasoning.
Made this as part of my meal prep for the week! I know roast turkey sounds fancy for meal prep but it shreds up so good for sandwiches, salads, and turkey soup throughout the week, way better than buying deli meat that’s full of sodium. Cook time was easy to fit in on a Sunday afternoon while I did laundry and folded hiking gear. Will absolutely be adding this to my monthly meal prep rotation.
I’ve been making roast turkey for 50+ years for my family and I have to say, this recipe is right up there with my own! The tip to tuck the wings under so they don’t burn is something I’ve been telling my grandkids for years, it’s nice to see it actually included in a recipe so new cooks don’t make that mistake. I added a little chopped onion and celery to the roasting pan under the rack and it made the whole house smell like holidays all day.
Wait has anyone made this with a smaller 10lb turkey? I’m only hosting 3 people for Thanksgiving this year so I don’t need a giant bird, and I don’t want to mess up the cook time or temperature. The recipe says 12-16lb bird so I’m nervous to adjust it on my own, I’m a super new cook lol.
Brought this turkey to my office potluck yesterday and everyone was begging for the recipe! Even the guy who brings store-bought fried chicken to every potluck went back for two slices. I will say I accidentally used salted butter for the herb rub instead of unsalted and it was a tiny bit salty for my taste, but no one else seemed to notice. Next time I’ll cut back on the added salt a little to make up for it.
Solid recipe. I’ve tried a half dozen roast turkey recipes over the years since I retired and this one is straightforward, no fancy hard-to-find ingredients, no weird gimmicks. Tastes exactly like the roast turkey my mom used to make when I was a kid growing up in Ohio. The crispy skin is the real star here, don’t skip patting the turkey dry before putting the butter on like the recipe says, that’s the secret.
Made this on a camping trip last weekend with my portable camp oven and it worked even better than I expected! I know that’s not the usual use case for a roast turkey recipe but I wanted something hearty after a long day of hiking, and it fed all 4 of us in my hiking group with enough leftovers for breakfast hash the next morning. 10/10, works even in less than ideal kitchen setups lmao.
Help! I’m making this tomorrow for my in-laws’ first visit to our new house and I just realized I don’t have fresh herbs, only dried. Will that work? I don’t have time to run to the grocery store tonight because my toddler is running a fever, I’m this close to panicking 😅
I meal prepped this last Sunday and the turkey held up amazing all week for lunches! I tossed it with a little cranberry sauce and mayo for sandwiches, mixed it into pasta, even made a quick turkey pot pie with the last of it on Thursday. Way more cost effective than buying lunch out every day, and it feels like a fancy holiday meal even on a random Tuesday work lunch.
Made this for our early Friendsgiving at the beach house last weekend and it was chef’s kiss! We ate it on the porch with ocean views, paired with sparkling cider and pumpkin pie, and everyone kept raving about how juicy the turkey was. I was worried cooking in a rental kitchen with wonky oven temps would mess it up but I just kept an eye on the thermometer like the recipe said and it turned out perfect. 10/10 would make again for every holiday from now on.