- Level
- medium
- Prep Time
- 20 mins
- Cooking Time
- 2 h 50 m
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 1
- whole turkey, about 11 lb (5 kg)
- 2
- onions, quartered
- 2
- celery stalks, chopped
- 1
- apple, peeled or not, cored and quartered
- 1
- bunch sage, plus more for serving
- 1 cup
- unsalted butter, softened
- 225 g
- 1 tbsp
- maple syrup
- 15 ml
- 2 tbsp
- unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups
- chicken broth
- 375 ml
Directions
- Step 1
- The night before you plan to roast the turkey, remove the bag of giblets from inside the turkey cavity, if there is one. Set the giblets and neck aside. Place the turkey in a large glass or ceramic baking dish, breast-side up. Pat the cavity dry with paper towels. Generously season the inside and outside of the turkey with salt and pepper. Let brine in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 8 hours or overnight (see note).
- Step 2
- The next day, with the rack in the lowest position, preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Step 3
- Pat the turkey very dry with paper towels.
- Step 4
- In a large roasting pan, spread out the vegetables, apple, sage, turkey giblets and neck. Place the turkey over the aromatics in the roasting pan, breast-side up. Gently detach the skin from the breast and legs, being careful not to tear it. Spread half of the butter (½ cup/115 g) evenly between the flesh and skin. Spread the remaining butter over the outside of the turkey. Tie the legs together with butcher’s twine and tuck the wings under the back of the turkey.
- Step 5
- Roast for 2 hours 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the thigh without touching bone reads 180°F (82°C). Remove the roasting pan from the oven.
- Step 6
- Using a pastry brush, coat the turkey with the maple syrup. Continue to roast for 5 minutes or until the turkey is nicely browned.
- Step 7
- Place the turkey on a large serving dish. Let rest for 30 minutes.
- Step 8
- Meanwhile, strain the turkey cooking juices through a sieve placed over a bowl. Compost the giblets and vegetables. Using a ladle, remove any excess fat from the surface of the cooking juices and place in a small pot as you go.
- Step 9
- Bring the cooking fat to a boil over medium heat. Add the flour and continue to cook for 1 minute while whisking. Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil while whisking. Add the turkey cooking juices and let reduce until the gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Adjust the seasoning.
- Step 10
- Serve the turkey and gravy with mashed potatoes, if desired.
Tips
For juicier meat, we recommend brining the turkey the day before you plan to roast it.
