8 Servings

Prep Time:
10 minutes, plus 20 minutes to rest turkey

Cook Time:
2 ¾ hours

Turkey and gravy is best served immediately.

Ingredients

• One 14–16-lbs whole turkey
• 2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 oz. fresh sage, stems and leaves separated (about 1/3 cup leaves; stems reserved)
• 1tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• ⅓ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  
  

Steps

• 1. Preheat Oven to 425º
• 2. Thoroughly pat turkey dry. Season the inside of turkey with salt and pepper. Stuff turkey cavity with half chopped onions, carrots and celery and tie turkey legs together with butcher’s twine. Place remaining onions, carrots and celery in a large roasting pan with a V-rack. Place turkey on rack.
• 3. In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter with sage stems and Worcestershire sauce. Remove pan from heat. Brush some melted butter mixture all over the turkey and sprinkle salt and pepper all over.
• 4. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325° and roast, basting turkey every 30 minutes with melted butter mixture until a meat thermometer reads 165° when inserted into part of thigh nearest to thigh-hip joint, 1¾ to 2 hours (if skin starts to get dark in spots, cover with foil).
• 5. Transfer turkey to a carving board (do not clean out a roasting pan), and rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• 6. Carve turkey and serve with gravy and crispy sage leaves.

Meanwhile, to Make Gravy

• 1. Carefully pour pan drippings from roasting pan into a small measuring cup and set aside for about 5 minutes to allow oil to rise above juices. Spoon off oil and reserve pan juices. Set roasting pan on stove over medium-high heat.
• 2. Add pan juices and broth and bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape up brown bits. Strain pan juices and discard solids.
• 3. In a medium heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, add remaining 1/4 cup butter and swirl to melt. After butter has melted, continue to swirl in the pan for about 2 minutes, or until butter has stopped foaming and is light brown.
• 4. Stir in sage leaves and cook for about 1 minute, or until sage leaves are crisp. Remove pan from heat and, using a slotted spoon, remove sage leaves from brown butter. Sprinkle sage leaves with salt and reserve.
• 5. Return pan to medium heat, stir in flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in pan juices and bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer for about 3 minutes, or until gravy thickens slightly. Season gravy with salt and pepper

Curtis Stone @curtisstone