Herb Roasted Turkey with Citrus Gravy

herb toasted turkey sliced on a serving plate.

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5 from 4 votes

Herb Roasted Turkey with Citrus Gravy

This Herb Roasted Turkey is juicy and full of flavor! Your thanksgiving table is not complete without this turkey!

Prep Time2

Cook Time4 30

Resting Time1

Total Time2 5 30

Course: Dinner, Holidays, Main Course, Thanksgiving

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 521kcal

Author: Britney

Equipment

Roasting pan
Turkey Baster
Mixing Bowls
Butcher’s Twine
Cutting Board and Sharp Knives

Ingredients

Turkey and Dry Brine Seasoning

12-14 lb Turkey
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp dried sage
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp dried tarragon
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp seasoned salt

Roasted Garlic Compound Butter

1-2 Heads Garlic
1 cup Salted Butter (2 sticks)
4 sprigs Fresh Thyme (stems removed)
2 tbsp Fresh Rosemary (diced)
6 Sage Leaves (diced)
1 tbsp Lemon Zest

To Stuff and Roast the Turkey:

2 Onions (sliced)
5 Celery Stalks (cut into chunks)
5 Carrots (cut into chunks)
1 Orange (sliced)
1 Honeycrisp Apple (sliced)
½ cup White Wine
2 cups Chicken Broth
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme

Citrus Gravy

½ cup Salted Butter
¼ cup All Purpose Flour
2 tbsps Lemon Zest
2 tbsps Lemon Juice
Remaining Pan Juices
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Prepare and Brine the Turkey

Place turkey on a work surface. Remove the giblets from the turkey and pat turkey dry with paper towels.
In a small bowl, combine seasonings - garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, sage, thyme, tarragon, celery salt, smoked paprika, and seasoned salt.
Gently separate the skin from the meat by pressing your hand in between the two. Then add seasoning mixture and kosher salt and pepper to the interior of the turkey and underneath the skin. Then season the exterior of the turkey.
Allow the turkey to sit uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours but up to two days.

Make the Roasted Garlic Compound Butter

Remove turkey from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking so that the turkey can come to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the top off of a head of garlic. Place head of garlic on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Wrap the garlic in the aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the garlic is softened. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F after removing the roasted garlic.
In a small bowl, add combine butter, fresh chopped herbs, lemon zest, and roasted garlic, salt, and pepper. Mash and Mix together.
Rub half of the herb butter underneath the skin of the turkey and the rest on top of the skin. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Bake the Turkey

Stuff the turkey with sliced oranges, half of the onion, half of the carrots, sliced lemon, and half of the celery.
Fold the wings of the turkey underneath the bird and tie the legs together with butcher’s twine.
Place remaining carrots, celery, and onions, thyme, sliced lemons, and sliced apples, thyme sprigs on the bottom of the roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the roasting rack on top and place the turkey onto the grates. Drizzle with olive oil and season with additional salt and pepper.
Roast turkey on the lowest grate in the oven and cook at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes. At the 30 minutes mark, pour white wine and chicken broth into the pan and cover the turkey with foil. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees F and continue to cook for about 4 hours.
Remove the foil and baste with the pan juices. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. It should read 165 degrees in the thigh and 155 on the breast side.
If needed, continue to roast uncovered until the internal temperature of the meat is 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh and 155 in the breast, about another 20-30 minutes.
Allow the turkey to rest for at least 40 minutes.

Make the Citrus Gravy

Make the gravy - mash the remaining vegetables and fruits in the pan and then strain the pan drippings into a bowl, removing the large chunks.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter and add all purpose flour. Whisk together until a thick paste forms and begins to brown - about 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the strained pan juices and continue to whisk until smooth. Add lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper.
Transfer turkey to a serving platter and carve. Place on your thanksgiving table and serve with the gravy.

Notes

Thawing The Turkey

Always thaw your turkey in the refrigerator, it's the safest method to prevent foodborne illness/bacteria. As a rule of thumb, for every 4 lbs of turkey, you'll need one day. So if your frozen turkey is 12 lbs, you'll need three days in the refrigerator for it to thaw.

Pro tip: to thaw your turkey quickly, submerge it in ice water for 8 to 12 hours.

Tips

Make sure to tuck in the wings of the turkey to prevent them from burning in the oven.
Cook the turkey on the lower third of the oven to prevent the skin from burning.
Use an instant-read thermometer to get a read on the internal temperature of the turkey. This is the best way to see if the turkey is finished cooking and preventing it from being overcooked and dry.

Storage

You can store the turkey in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I recommend carving the turkey and storing it as opposed to storing the whole bird. You can use the leftover bones and make turkey stock!

If you'd like to freeze your leftover turkey, for up to 6 weeks. When your ready to thaw, place turkey in the refrigerator and let it thaw completely. Then reheat in the oven at 300 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.

Nutrition