Easy Low Carb Roasted Turkey & Gluten Free Gravy Recipe
A super easy and delicious low carb turkey recipe with a gluten free pan gravy that will knock your socks off!
A super easy and delicious low carb turkey recipe with a gluten free pan gravy that will knock your socks off!
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 16 - 18 lb turkey
- 2 - 3 pieces of fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp ground sage powder
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 3 apples cut in half
- 1 lemon cut into quarters
- 2 onions peeled and cut in half
- Carbohydrate 127.105980019901 g
- Cholesterol 63.0000000532571 mg
- Fat 68.878670055397 g
- Fiber 23.908650424206 g
- Protein 7.81206500373672 g
- Saturated Fat 10.4006220081588 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1117g)
- Sodium 4212.73270190405 mg
- Sugar 103.197329595695 g
- Trans Fat 51.1853540426421 g
- Calories 1085 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees (F).
- Place the pan gravy ingredients in the bottom of your roasting pan, and season liberally with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
- Place your rack (if you have one) in the pan.
- Remove any innards from your turkey and rinse out the cavity.
- Combine all of the mayonnaise ingredients together in a medium bowl and stir well.
- Carefully separate the skin from the meat of the bird and rub generously under the skin with the mayo mixture.
- Then rub the mixture over the outside of the bird and inside the cavity until it's all used.
- Carefully place your bird breast side down on the rack (if you don't have a rack, place it on the aromatics and be sure the breast isn't touching the pan.)
- Sprinkle generously with more kosher salt and black pepper.
- Roast in the bottom rack of your oven for 2 hours (at 450 degrees.)
- After two hours, remove the turkey and turn the oven down to 400 degrees.
- Carefully turn your turkey over so it's breast side up.
- Roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour (a larger bird will take longer) or until a meat thermometer reads 165 at the thickest part of the thigh (it will continue to cook while resting.)
- Remove and rest loosely under foil for at least 20 - 30 minutes before carving.
- While the turkey is resting, remove the lemons from the pan and discard.
- Pour the rest of the pan drippings into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Season the gravy with salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve warm with the turkey.
Traditional holiday turkeys rely on basting with butter or stock, but substituting an emulsion of mayonnaise, oil, and mustard alters how fat interacts with the bird. Mayonnaise consists of oil suspended in egg and acid, delivering fat with less water content than butter. Spreading this fat-and-protein matrix under and over the skin prevents moisture loss from the lean breast meat during high-heat exposure at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Fat conducts heat efficiently while sealing the outer surface against rapid evaporation. Mustard and lemon juice supply acids that break down surface proteins slightly, allowing seasonings like ground sage and black pepper to adhere uniformly.
The Chemistry of High-Heat Searing
Roasting starts at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours before dropping to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for the final hour. High initial heat renders subcutaneous fat rapidly and encourages browning reactions between amino acids and reducing sugars. Placing the bird breast-side down initially protects the most delicate muscle group from direct radiant heat. Turning the turkey upright halfway through ensures the skin crisps evenly across the breast without overcooking the underlying meat. Pull the bird from the oven when an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the thigh. Resting the meat for at least 20 to 30 minutes under loose foil allows internal muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb released juices.Building the Gluten-Free Gravy
Traditional pan gravies depend on wheat flour starch granules to swell and trap liquids in a viscous network. Blending the roasted pan drippings—including softened apples, onions, and garlic—directly creates a thick emulsion without starch. Apples supply natural pectin, a soluble fiber that contributes body and thickness when sheared in a blender at high speed. Onions break down into soft solids that blend into the liquid, adding savory depth through caramelized sugars and aromatics. Discarding the lemons before blending prevents excess bitterness from the citrus pith while retaining the necessary acid balance.Fat Substitutions and Structural Consequences
Avocado oil or neutral grapeseed oil can replace olive oil in the mayonnaise binder without altering smoke points. Greek yogurt may substitute for mayonnaise if dairy preference dictates, though lower fat content increases the risk of dryness during the initial two-hour roast. Substituting poultry fat or duck fat for oil shifts the flavor profile toward richer, more savory notes while maintaining the desired emulsion stability.
