Roast Turkey with White Wine Gravy
Tender, juicy roast turkey nestled on aromatic vegetables and herbs, with deeply flavorful white wine gravy that'll have everyone sneaking back for more. This recipe delivers holiday perfection without the stress—no brining, no constant basting, just smart layering of flavors that creates a centerpiece worthy of your table.
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Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the turkey:
- 1 (12-15 pound) turkey, thawed if frozen
- 3-4 cups prepared stuffing, (your choice)
- 3 large carrots, , cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 celery ribs, , cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 large yellow onion, , sliced
- 3/4 cup dry white wine, (chardonnay recommended)
- 2-3 cups chicken broth, (enough to cover the bottom of pan 1/2-inch deep)
- 1 package fresh poultry herbs, (See note)
- Sea salt, , to taste
- Ground black pepper, , to taste
For the gravy:
- Pan drippings, (strained)
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
- 1/2 cup cold water
- Additional chicken broth as needed, (ideally bone broth)
- Sea salt, , to taste
- Ground black pepper, , to taste
Instructions
Prepare and roast the turkey:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Remove the organ bag and any plastic from the turkey. Pat the cavity dry.
- Place the turkey breast-side up in roasting pan. Loosely fill the cavity with prepared stuffing.
- Arrange the carrots, celery, and onion around turkey. Pour the wine over the vegetables, then add chicken broth until liquid is about 1/2-inch deep in the pan. Arrange herb sprigs on the vegetables. Season the turkey skin with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours until a thigh registers 165°F when tested. Cooking time varies by size and other factors: covering and stuffing the turkey both increase cooking time. If roasting your turkey with stuffing inside the cavity, always check the temperature of both turkey and stuffing for safety. If the skin browns too quickly, tent the turkey loosely with foil.
- Transfer the turkey to cutting board and let rest 20 to 30 minutes.
Make the gravy:
- Strain the pan drippings through fine-mesh strainer into measuring cup, pressing the vegetables to extract some of the liquid. Discard the vegetables and herb.
- Pour the drippings into a saucepan or skillet and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl or cup, whisk the arrowroot into the cold water until smooth. Slowly whisk about half of the slurry into the simmering drippings. Continue whisking until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add more slurry as needed for desired thickness, or thin with more broth if too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Storage:
- Store leftover turkey and gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
If you don’t find fresh poultry herbs, you can use 4 sprigs each of fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning.
The vegetables will be very soft and mushy—this is normal. They're for flavor only.
For the best flavor, use homemade or organic, low-sodium chicken broth with clean ingredients.