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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.
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!!
I love the idea of butter soaked cheesecloth on a turkey and can’t wait to try it out! I am thinking of doing a 19-21 lb turkey this year. Do I need to adjust the amount ingredients for the compound butter, lemons/onions/garlic, or gravy? Just want to make sure everything turns out well! Thank you 🙂
Hi Sophia,
You can actually adjust the serving size in the recipe and all of the ingredients will adjust for you, but I would probably increase everything by 1/2! I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Further down in your recipe you give directions for cooking turkey breasts instead of a whole turkey. The ingredients list white wine, but don’t mention what to do with it. Can you clarify? Thanks!
Hi Linda,
The white wine is used to make the gravy which that recipe is listed above. I hope this helps! xx
Hi! I would love to try this recipe for this Thanksgiving but would like to use chicken instead. Is that okay? And what adjustments would be made for cooking time?
Hi,
If I wanted to do this for about a 6-8lb turkey, what do you recommend for the ingredients (should I half the amount) and the recommended cook time?
Thanks!
Hi there! Yes, I would probably half the amount and halve the cooking time! xT
Hi!!
I noticed in the first pictures the turkey was just placed directly in the pan and when fully cooked- pictured on the rack. How exactly did you cook the Turkey in the roasting pan? Thanks so much!
I used this recipe to make an 8 pound turkey breast for Easter. My first time roasting one and not just squeezing it into my crockpot. It was so good! Thank you for making my basic skills look impressive–I couldn’t believe how pretty it looked when I pulled the cheesecloth off! Thank you!!!
Hey Kerri,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for testing this recipe out, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Hi! If I brown my butter for the turkey, do you think it’ll still work with the cheesecloth method or could the butter burn?
Hi Marisa! I haven’t ever tried that before so can’t say for sure! So sorry! xT
If I’m using salted butter what would change in the ratio for seasoning in the butter spread?
Hey Jody,
You can follow the recipe as is, I also use salted butter from now on:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
This was my first year making my own Thanksgiving turkey – this recipe was amazing (the gravy too!) and I know we’ll return to it year after year.
Hey Brooke,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Thanks for your comment! xx
Hi Tiegan!!
I love love love all your recipes. I want to make this turkey for my family’s Christmas dinner. I wasn’t able to find fresh herbs, can I use dried? What would the ratios be? Thanks for always creating delicious things! Xoxo from Canada
Hi Amanda,
Sure, dried herbs will work for you, a general rule of thumb is for every 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs you will want to use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs. I hope you love this recipe! Merry Christmas! xT
Can you share cooking time for a bone-in turkey breast?
Hey Carol,
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 would like to make this Turkey for Christmas. Is the Turkey to be placed in the broth within the roasting pan or on a rack in the roasting pan? Thanks!
Hey Jess,
If you have a rack, go ahead and use that! I hope this recipe turns out well for you, please let me know if you give it a try! Happy Holidays! xT
Hi! I’m excited to make this recipe. I have a 19lb turkey, would I still follow the cooking time or would the time in the oven need to be increased because it is heavier than the 14-16lb bird in the recipe?
Hey Ash,
You are going to need to increase your cooking time by 12 minutes per pound. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
So does that mean 45 minutes at 450 then 350 for 6 hrs for a 20 Lb turkey?
No, 45 minutes at 450F and then 180 minutes or 3 hours at 350F. I hope this helps! xx
Do you think the white wine gravy is okay for people who are pregnant? I imagine the alcohol mostly burns off in the making? Thank you!
Hi Brad,
The alcohol should definitely burn off, but if you are concerned at all broth will be just fine to use! I hope you love this recipe! xT
Hello there, i am planning on using this recipe but i wanted to see what kind of white whine did you use.
Hey Val,
I like to use a Chardonnay! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Does the buttered cheesecloth replace the need to brine the turkey completely? Trying to decide if I should dry brine then do your recipe or just follow it as is!
It does:) I never brine my turkey! I hope you love the recipe Kristin!!
I can’t find double layer cheese cloth. Or at least I can’t find cheesecloth that states that. Can I use normal cheesecloth?
Hi Brittany,
You are using a cheesecloth and just folding it over to make a double layer:) I hope this helps! Happy Holidays! xT
I was hosting my family of 28 people for the first time for Thanksgiving and was very nervous about messing up the turkey. Your recipe was fantastic! Juicy, flavorful and so easy! We did one in the oven and one in a roaster without basting it and they both came out wonderful. For $$ sake I used dried herbs and while I’m sure it would be even better with fresh, it was still amazing. When I need a meal that tastes and look sophisticated I always come to your site. Thank you for all the work you put into it!
Hey Diana,
Happy Friday! ☃️ So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! Thanks so much for your kind message and feedback:) xT