The Greatest Roast Turkey with Gravy of All Time · PrimedTable
American🥩 Meat
The Greatest Roast Turkey with Gravy of All Time
⏱ 480 min
This is a meticulously tested ultimate roast turkey recipe: a wet brine with injections plus a clever flip-the-bird technique (roast breast-down first, then flip to brown) lets the white and dark meat both hit their ideal temperatures at the same time, yielding juicy meat and crisp golden skin. Includes a rich homemade gravy made from the turkey's neck, wings, and roasted vegetables.
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Adapted from a video by Brian Lagerstrom
The Greatest Roast Turkey Recipe of All Time (The GOAT)
TurkeyWhole bird, adjust brine amount for larger/smaller birds17 lb
Water (for brine)4000 g
Kosher salt400 g
Granulated sugar100 g
Bay leaves4-5
Garlic heads, halved3-4
Poultry herb blend (sage, rosemary, thyme)1 pack
Ice4000 g
Water (for roasting pan)1 cup
Olive oil (for brushing skin)
~2 tbspest.
Turkey neck, wings, and other meaty bones~1-2 lbest.
Onion, roughly chopped125 g
Celery, roughly chopped75 g
Carrot, roughly chopped75 g
Water (for deglazing)1 cup
Chicken stock1500 g
Fresh thyme3 g
Bay leaves2-3
Butter115 g
All-purpose flour115 g
Steps
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1
Thaw the frozen turkey in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in cold water for about 8 hours. Once thawed, remove the giblets from the cavity and cut off both wings; reserve the neck and wings for the gravy.
2
Make the brine: combine water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, garlic, and herb blend in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes to infuse. Pour over ice to rapidly cool the brine to about 40°F.
3
Using a brine injector, inject cold brine into each breast (5-6 injections per side) and each leg (2-3 injections). Then pierce the breast 40-50 times and the leg 20-30 times with the injector tip to create channels for the brine. Submerge the turkey breast-side down in the brine, and refrigerate for 3 days.
4
Meanwhile prepare the gravy base: cut the wings and neck into chunks, place on a sheet tray with the chopped onion, celery, and carrot, and roast at 500°F for about 20 minutes until browned.
5
Transfer the roasted bones and vegetables to a saucepan. Deglaze the sheet tray with a cup of water, scraping up the browned bits (fond), and add that liquid to the pot along with chicken stock, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, then strain and set aside.
6
In another pot, melt the butter, whisk in the flour to form a smooth roux, and cook for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the stock you just made and simmer, stirring, for 5-10 minutes until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Don't season with salt yet — cool and refrigerate until roasting day.
7
After brining, flip the turkey breast-side up and inject once more for extra juiciness. Line the roasting pan with oiled foil and pour in a cup of water. Place the turkey breast-side down on the rack, insert probe thermometers into the breast and thigh, and cover with two layers of foil.
8
Roast at 425°F for 1 hour, then remove the foil, lower the oven to 325°F, and continue roasting for 90-120 minutes until the breast reaches 150°F and the thigh reaches 165°F.
9
Remove the turkey, tent with foil, and rest for about 1 hour — use the freed-up oven to bake your side dishes. Pour off the pan drippings and stir them into the pre-made gravy base, heating and tasting for seasoning.
10
Using tongs and a towel, flip the turkey back breast-side up, truss the drumsticks with kitchen twine, and brush the breast skin with olive oil. Roast uncovered at 500°F for about 20 minutes to brown and crisp the skin.
11
Remove the turkey and carve. Reduce the gravy further if needed and optionally strain for a smoother finish, then serve alongside the carved turkey.
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