This is my favorite turkey recipe. I pulled it of Food Network about 5 years ago when my husband's grandfather died as I'd never made a turkey and food needed to be cooked and a turkey was thawed. It's requested every single year. Next year I'll have to try a brine, but I don't even cook with alcohol so I'll have to find an alternative.
Turkey with Herbes de Provence and Citrus Recipe courtesy
Giada De Laurentiis
(Herbes de Provence if your store does not carry it like mine does not.)
3 tablespoons oregano leaves
3 tablespoons thyme leaves
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1 teaspoon sage leaves
3 tablespoons savory
2 tablespoons lavender flowers
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 (14 to 15-pound) turkey, neck and giblets reserved
1 orange, cut into wedges
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1 onion, cut into wedges
6 fresh rosemary sprigs
6 fresh sage sprigs
6 fresh oregano sprigs
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth (approximate amount)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
To make the turkey: Position the rack in the lowest third of the
oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
Rinse the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the turkey
on a rack set inside a large roasting pan. Place the orange and
lemon wedges, onion, and 2 sprigs of each fresh herb in the main
turkey cavity. Tie the legs together to hold the shape of the
turkey. Stir 2 tablespoons of butter, the herbes de Provence, oil,
and 1 1/2 teaspoons of each the salt and pepper in a small saucepan
over medium heat just until the butter melts. Rub the butter mixture
all over the turkey and between the turkey breast meat and skin.
Place the turkey neck and giblets in roasting pan. (Recipe can be
prepared up to this point 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let
stand at room temperature 30 minutes before roasting.)
Cover the turkey breast with foil. Roast for 20 minutes. Pour 3 cups
of broth into the pan and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the
bottom of the pan. Add the remaining sprigs of fresh herbs to the
pan. Roast the turkey for 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to
350 degrees F. Remove the foil from the turkey; pour 1 more cup of
broth into the pan. Continue roasting the turkey until a meat
thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers
165 degrees F to 175 degrees F or until the juices run clear when
the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer, basting
occasionally with pan juices, about 1 hour and 30 minutes longer.
Transfer the turkey to a platter and tent with foil. Let stand 30
minutes while preparing the gravy.
To make the gravy: Strain the turkey pan juices from the roasting
pan through a sieve and into a 4-cup glass measuring cup; discard
the solids. Spoon off the fat from atop the pan juices. Add enough
chicken broth, about 1 to 2 cups, to the pan juices to measure 4
cups total. Melt the remaining butter in a heavy large saucepan over
medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually
whisk in the broth. Simmer until the gravy thickens slightly,
whisking often, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve
the turkey with the gravy.
