Oven Roasted Turkey with Gravy
Anyone and everyone can make this foolproof oven roasted turkey with gravy! Whether it’s for Thanksgiving, Easter, or any festive family gathering, this turkey comes out juicy and flavorful every time. Say goodbye to dry and bland with our easy to follow steps. Stress less, impress your guests and enjoy the holiday spirit with a delicious centerpiece that feeds a crowd. Trust the process and get ready to savor every bite!
- Serves: varies – a 15 pound turkey will feed 10 with leftovers
- Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
- Cook Time: varies – 4-5 hours for a 15 pounder
- Rest Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the turkey
- premium young turkey (defrosted – weight will vary)
- 1 cup of butter
- 2 Tbsp seasoned salt (divided – any kind you prefer)
For the gravy
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup all purpose flour (or Wondra fine flour)
Get the full printable instructions with measurements at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
Prepping the Bird:
Step 1: Remove the packaging and place the turkey on a clean work surface. Remove the neck and giblet packet from the cavities, then pat the turkey dry inside and out with paper towels. Don’t rinse the turkey. Wash your hands and thoroughly clean and sanitize any surfaces that touched the raw bird.
Step 2: Place the turkey on a roasting pan (preferably with a rack, but it will still work if you don’t have one). Sprinkle 1/2 Tbsp of the seasoned salt inside cavity.
Step 3: Carefully loosen skin with your hand in the breast and thigh areas to create a pocket. Push back as far as you can without tearing the skin.
Step 4: Cut 4 Tbsp of butter into at least 8 pieces and place them in different areas under the skin.
Step 5: If stuffing the turkey, prepare the stuffing just before roasting, keeping the wet and dry ingredients separate until you’re ready to combine them. Spoon the stuffing loosely into both cavities without overfilling. Place any extra stuffing in a casserole dish to bake separately.
Step 6: Fold flap of skin over smaller cavity, then fold the wings under to hold the skin in place. This may take a little force. It will look like the bird is resting on its wings.
Step 7: Spread the remaining butter all over skin of the turkey. Use more if you feel like you didn’t cover everything. Sprinkle the rest of the seasoned salt evenly over turkey. Cover tightly with foil.
Roasting the Bird
My two-stage roasting method was originally inspired by Ree Drummond’s Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey. I’ve made a few changes over the years to make it my own.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 275º F. Place covered turkey on bottom rack and cook for 10 minutes per pound. This 15 pound turkey cooked for 2 1/2 hours at this temperature.
Step 2: Uncover the turkey and insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thigh. The turkey will still look raw, but don’t worry! Increase the oven temperature to 350°F and continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes. Cook until the innermost thigh, innermost wing, and thickest part of the breast all reach 165°F. If you’ve stuffed the turkey, the center of the stuffing must also reach 165°F. For a stuffed, 15-pound turkey, this took about 2 hours. An unstuffed turkey will cook faster.
Step 3: Carefully remove turkey from oven, admire the beautifully golden, crisp skin, and place on a platter. Lightly cover with aluminum foil and let the turkey rest for 20 minutes while you finish prepping the rest of the sides and make the gravy.
Making the gravy:
Step 1: Place roasting pan with juice from turkey on a stove burner over medium heat (make sure it’s stovetop safe, first!). Add enough chicken broth to make 4 cups of liquid. This bird did not release much juice which is good, because it all stayed in the turkey, but didn’t leave much to work with for the gravy. Use a whisk to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. All of those little “burnt” spots are actually filled with flavor!
Step 2: Slowly whisk in flour a little at a time. I like to use Wondra flour for gravy because it is really fine and doesn’t clump as much. Don’t worry if it does clump up! Just strain it through wire mesh strainer and keep cooking. Add a little more flour if it still needs thickening.
Step 3: Remove the stuffing from the cavities to a serving dish, carve up the bird and enjoy this tender, moist and flavorful classic holiday dish!
🍋 Simply Made Suggestions
- Plan for leftovers: Allow about 1½ pounds of turkey per person if you want leftovers. A 15-pound turkey will feed approximately 10 people with some left for the next day.
- Give it time to thaw: Allow about 4–5 days to thaw a frozen 15-pound turkey in the refrigerator. Place it in a pan to catch any drips.
- Check your roasting pan: If your roasting pan isn’t stovetop-safe, transfer the drippings to a saucepan before making the gravy.
🥔 What to Serve with Roasted Turkey
A beautiful turkey deserves some good company! Serve it with our Classic Stuffing and Fluffy Mashed Potatoes for a traditional holiday dinner. Need a few more dishes to fill the table? Browse our Thanksgiving Side Dishes for more ideas.
🦃 Before You Go…
Planning the whole Thanksgiving meal? Our Thanksgiving Dinner Menu & Cooking Timeline walks you through what to make ahead, when to start cooking and how to get everything on the table together.
Oven Roasted Turkey with Gravy
Ingredients
For the turkey:
- 15 lb premium young turkey (defrosted)
- 1 cup butter
- 2 Tbsp seasoned salt (divided)
For the gravy:
- 4 cups chicken broth (you may not need all of it)
- ½ cup all purpose flour (or Wondra fine flour)
Instructions
Prepping the Bird
- Remove the packaging and place the turkey on a clean work surface. Remove the neck and giblet packet from both cavities, then pat the turkey dry inside and out with paper towels. Do not rinse the turkey. Wash your hands and thoroughly clean and sanitize any surfaces that touched the raw bird.
- Place the turkey on a roasting pan (preferably with a rack, but it will still work if you don’t have one). Sprinkle 1/2 Tbsp of the seasoned salt inside cavity.
- Carefully loosen skin with your hand in the breast and thigh areas to create a pocket. Push back as far as you can without tearing the skin.
- Cut 4 Tbsp of butter into at least 8 pieces and place them in different areas under the skin.
- If stuffing the turkey, combine the wet and dry stuffing ingredients just before roasting. Loosely fill the larger cavity, then lift the flap of skin and fill the smaller cavity without overstuffing. Place any remaining stuffing in a covered casserole dish to bake separately.
- Fold flap of skin over smaller cavity, then fold the wings under to hold the skin in place. This may take a little force. It will look like the bird is resting on its wings.
- Spread the remaining butter all over skin of the turkey. Use more if you feel like you didn’t cover everything. Sprinkle the rest of the seasoned salt evenly over turkey. Cover tightly with foil.
Roasting the Bird:
- Preheat oven to 275º F. Place covered turkey on bottom rack and cook for 10 minutes per pound. This 15 pound turkey cooked for 2 1/2 hours at this temperature.
- Uncover the turkey and insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thigh. The turkey will still look raw, but don't worry! Increase the oven temperature to 350°F and continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes. Cook until the innermost thigh, innermost wing, and thickest part of the breast all reach 165°F. If you've stuffed the turkey, the center of the stuffing must also reach 165°F. For a stuffed, 15-pound turkey, this took about 2 hours. An unstuffed turkey will cook faster.
- Carefully remove turkey from oven, place on a platter, and lightly cover with aluminum foil. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes while you finish prepping the rest of the sides and make the gravy.
Making the gravy:
- Place roasting pan with juice from turkey on a stove burner over medium heat (make sure it’s stovetop safe, first!). Add enough chicken broth to make 4 cups of liquid. This bird did not release much juice which is good, because it all stayed in the turkey, but didn’t leave much to work with for the gravy. Use a whisk to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. All of those little “burnt” spots are actually filled with flavor!
- Slowly whisk in flour a little at a time. I like to use Wondra flour for gravy because it is really fine and doesn't clump as much. Don't worry if it does clump up! Just strain it through wire mesh strainer and keep cooking. Add a little more flour if it still needs thickening.
- Remove the stuffing from the cavities to a serving dish, carve up the bird and enjoy this tender, moist and flavorful classic holiday dish!
Notes
- Thaw ahead: Allow about 4–5 days to thaw a frozen 15-pound turkey in the refrigerator. Keep it in a pan to catch any drips.
- Check the temperature: Use a meat thermometer to confirm the thickest part of the breast, innermost thigh, and innermost wing reach 165°F. If stuffed, the center of the stuffing must also reach 165°F.
- Make the gravy: If your roasting pan isn’t stovetop-safe, transfer the drippings to a saucepan before making the gravy.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: All nutrition values are per serving and approximate. They will vary depending on products and quantities used.
So juicy and delicious!!
very helpful step by step instructions! looks delicious 😋
Thank you so much, Melissa!