HERB-ROASTED TURKEY WITH PAN GRAVY

HERB-ROASTED TURKEY WITH PAN GRAVY image

Number Of Ingredients 11

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1 18- to 21-pound fresh turkey (thawed if frozen), giblets and neck removed from cavity and reserved for gravy.
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Grated zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for gravy
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, plus more for gravy
3 to 4 lemons, each cut into quarters
2 to 3 onions, each cut into 6 wedges
1 cup dry white wine or water, for gravy
3 cups Giblet Stock or homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock, for gravy

Steps:

1. Rinse turkey with cool water, and pat dry with paper towels. Let stand, uncovered 2 hours at room temperature. 2. Combine butter, lemon zest, parsley, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Using your finger gently, loosen turkey skin from over the breast meat, and smear half the butter mixture under the skin. 3. Preheat the oven to 450 with rack on lowest level. Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set in a heavy roasting pan. Tuck the wing tips under. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside cavity. Fill loosely with a s many lemon wedges as will fit comfortably. 4. Tie legs together loosely with kitchen twine. Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Rub entire turkey with remaining herb butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon pepper pressing to adhere. 5. Cook 30 minutes, rotating pan half way through. using a pastry brush, baste turkey with pan drippings. Reduce oven heat to 350; continue cooking 2 hours more, basting turkey and rotating pan every 30 minutes. If pan gets too full, spoon out some of the juices, reserving them for gravy. 6. Insert an instant-read thermometer into thickest part of thigh, avoiding bone.