Lemon-thyme roast turkey with pearl onions and pan gravy

Lemon-thyme roast turkey with pearl onions and pan gravy

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Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud

Food Editor at Kitchen Stories

www.instagram.com/devan.grimsrud/
"I finally have the recipe for the juiciest roasted whole turkey ever. Turkey can be difficult to get right, but here are my top tips: If your turkey is frozen, thaw it two days ahead of time and release it from its packaging. It’s important to always start with a fully thawed bird, so don’t forget to do this! Brining the turkey at least 24 hours in advance will make sure it’s juicy inside, with a crispy skin outside. If you have an oven outfitted with an internal temperature probe, simply stick the probe in at an angle from the back of the turkey into the thickest part of the breast, aiming for a temperature of about 65°C/150°F, as the turkey will continue to cook after being removed from the oven. Carve any leftovers off the turkey and save them, reheating with a bit of broth in a covered baking dish at 175°C/350°F or serve it cold—piled high on a Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich. To reheat the gravy, pop it into the microwave until heated through and whisk until smooth, or heat it in a saucepan over low heat."
Difficulty
Medium 👍
Preparation
50 min
Baking
110 min
Resting
60 min

Ingredients

2Servings
MetricImperial
½
lemons
5⅞ g
thyme
1⅓ kg
whole turkey
41⅔ g
pearl onions
16⅔ g
salt
8⅓ g
brown sugar
1 cloves
garlic
18⅓ g
unsalted butter
5 g
flour
5 ml
water
13⅓ ml
white wine
158⅓ ml
chicken stock
salt
pepper
water

Utensils

2 bowls (small), 2 baking sheets, paper towels, oven, 2 knives, cutting board, fine grater, roasting rack, roasting pan, kitchen twine, saucepan, cooking spoon, pastry brush, food thermometer, whisk, carving fork

Nutrition per serving

Cal245
Fat11 g
Protein15 g
Carb20 g

  • Step 1/5

    At least 1 day or up to 2 days before serving, brine the turkey. Combine the brown sugar and salt in a small bowl. Place the turkey on a baking sheet and pat dry. Coat thoroughly with the brining mixture. Transfer to the fridge to brine for least 1 or up to 2 days.
    • 16⅔ g salt
    • 8⅓ g brown sugar
    • 1⅓ kg whole turkey
    • bowl (small)
    • baking sheet
    • paper towels

    At least 1 day or up to 2 days before serving, brine the turkey. Combine the brown sugar and salt in a small bowl. Place the turkey on a baking sheet and pat dry. Coat thoroughly with the brining mixture. Transfer to the fridge to brine for least 1 or up to 2 days.

  • Step 2/5

    On the day of serving, preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Zest and quarter the lemons and crush the garlic cloves. Carefully rinse and pat turkey dry, then transfer breast side-up on a roasting rack set inside a roasting pan. Add pearl onions to the base of the roasting pan. Stuff the turkey with thyme and lemons, then truss the turkey with kitchen twine. Add water to the roasting pan to cover the bottom by about ¼ in.
    • ½ lemons
    • 1 cloves garlic
    • 41⅔ g pearl onions
    • 5 g thyme
    • water
    • oven
    • knife
    • cutting board
    • fine grater
    • roasting rack
    • roasting pan
    • kitchen twine

    On the day of serving, preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Zest and quarter the lemons and crush the garlic cloves. Carefully rinse and pat turkey dry, then transfer breast side-up on a roasting rack set inside a roasting pan. Add pearl onions to the base of the roasting pan. Stuff the turkey with thyme and lemons, then truss the turkey with kitchen twine. Add water to the roasting pan to cover the bottom by about ¼ in.

  • Step 3/5

    Roast the turkey in the oven at 425°F/220°C for approx. 40 min. or until browned all over. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat with the garlic cloves, thyme, and lemon zest. Keep warm while turkey roasts.
    • 18⅓ g unsalted butter
    • ⅞ g thyme
    • saucepan
    • cooking spoon

    Roast the turkey in the oven at 425°F/220°C for approx. 40 min. or until browned all over. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat with the garlic cloves, thyme, and lemon zest. Keep warm while turkey roasts.

  • Step 4/5

    Once the turkey is browned all over, turn the oven down to 350°F/175°C and baste the turkey with the butter mixture every 15 min. Once the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 150°F/65°C, (approx. 50 – 70 min. more) transfer turkey with roasting rack onto a baking sheet to rest for at least 30 min. or up to 1 hr. before carving. Reserve onions for serving and reserve drippings directly in roasting pan.
    • pastry brush
    • food thermometer
    • baking sheet

    Once the turkey is browned all over, turn the oven down to 350°F/175°C and baste the turkey with the butter mixture every 15 min. Once the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 150°F/65°C, (approx. 50 – 70 min. more) transfer turkey with roasting rack onto a baking sheet to rest for at least 30 min. or up to 1 hr. before carving. Reserve onions for serving and reserve drippings directly in roasting pan.

  • Step 5/5

    To make the gravy, set the roasting pan with drippings over medium heat. Mix flour and water together thoroughly in a small bowl, then add to the pan drippings and whisk constantly until gravy thickens. Increase heat and add white wine. Add chicken stock a little at a time, whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper, transfer to a gravy boat and serve with turkey and onions.
    • 5 g flour
    • 5 ml water
    • 13⅓ ml white wine
    • 158⅓ ml chicken stock
    • salt
    • pepper
    • bowl (small)
    • whisk
    • carving fork
    • knife

    To make the gravy, set the roasting pan with drippings over medium heat. Mix flour and water together thoroughly in a small bowl, then add to the pan drippings and whisk constantly until gravy thickens. Increase heat and add white wine. Add chicken stock a little at a time, whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper, transfer to a gravy boat and serve with turkey and onions.

  • Enjoy your meal!

    Lemon-thyme roast turkey with pearl onions and pan gravy
FAQ

To cook a Thanksgiving turkey, if your turkey is frozen, first defrost and dry brine the bird 1–2 days before cooking. When it’s time to cook, preheat your oven to 425°F/220°C, then rinse the turkey and pat it dry, and transfer it breast side up onto a roasting rack inside a roasting dish. Add aromatics to turkey’s cavity (lemon and thyme are our recommendations), and pearl onions and water to the bottom of the roasting dish. Once the bird is browned all over (approx. 40 min.), turn the heat down to 350°F/175°C, then roast for a further 50–70 mins, until the internal temperature reaches 65°C/150°F. Rest for a further 30–60 minutes before carving.

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