2000s Recipes + Menus
Extra-Moist Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy
Serves6
- Active time:25 min
- Start to finish:3 hr (does not include bringing turkey to room temperature)
November 2008
The secret to this succulent bird is an inexpensive metal pan. We used the kind of old-fashioned oval roaster found in most supermarkets, not fancy cookware stores. These lightweight enameled pans with lids simultaneously roast and braise the turkey, so it stays moist even as it cooks quickly. Simply uncover it at the end to crisp the skin. Ample pan juices add a fragrant richness to our easy gravy. (For tips on making gravy, see Kitchen Notebook. Plus, learn the story behind the rest of this four hour feast in our series The Recipe.)
For turkey
- 1 (11- to 12-lb) turkey at room temperature 1 hour, reserving neck, giblets (excluding liver), and wing tips for stock
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1 bunch thyme
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided
- 1 cup water
For gravy
- 2 cups hot turkey stock
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- Melted unsalted butter if necessary
- Reserved chopped giblets from stock (optional)
-
Equipment:
a small metal skewer; a 24-inch piece of kitchen string; a covered turkey roaster, or a 13- by 9-inch roasting pan and heavy-duty foil; a 2-qt measuring cup or a fat separator -
Garnish:
thyme sprigs
Make turkey:
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Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in lower third.
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Rinse turkey inside and out, then pat dry. Mix together 2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and rub all over turkey inside and out. Put onion and thyme in large cavity. Pin neck skin to body with skewer. Center kitchen string under back of breast and bring ends over to pin wings, then crisscross string and tie ends of drumsticks together. Put turkey on a metal rack in roaster and brush with 4 tablespoons melted butter. Cover pan (if using a roasting pan, cover turkey with parchment paper, then foil) and roast 1 hour.
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Baste with pan juices and add water to pan. Continue to roast, covered, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of each thigh (test both; close to but not touching bone) registers 170°F, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
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Baste with remaining tablespoon melted butter and roast, uncovered, until skin is browned, about 15 minutes more (total roasting time: 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours). Carefully tilt turkey so juices from inside large cavity run into pan. Transfer turkey to a platter and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 30 minutes (temperature of thigh meat will rise to 175 to 180°F).
Make gravy while turkey stands:
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Strain pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into 2-quart measure and skim off fat (or use a fat separator), reserving fat. Pour pan juices into a bowl and add stock.
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Whisk together flour and 1/3 cup reserved fat (if there is less, add melted butter) in a heavy medium saucepan, then cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Add pan juices and stock in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then bring to a boil, whisking. Stir in any turkey juices from platter. Chop and add giblets (if using). Simmer gravy, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Keywords
- ruth cousineau,
- thanksgiving,
- fall,
- poultry,
- dressing
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