Salted Roast Turkey with Herbs and Shallot-Dijon Gravy

A Housewife's Guide to the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and as a busy housewife, I know how overwhelming the holiday preparations can be. This year, I'm sharing my secret recipe for a show-stopping, yet surprisingly easy, salted roast turkey with a delicious shallot-dijon gravy. Forget the stress of a complicated recipe; this one is designed to impress without spending all day in the kitchen. It's all about flavorful simplicity and a few clever shortcuts.

The key to this turkey's exceptional taste is the herbed salt rub. I prepare this well in advance, allowing the herbs to meld and deepen their flavor. It’s a simple mixture of rosemary, thyme, sage, and lemon zest, rubbed generously all over the turkey. The herbed salt penetrates the skin, infusing the meat with aromatic flavors that will have your guests reaching for seconds (and thirds!). Trust me, it elevates the turkey from "standard" to "extraordinary".

After preparing the herbed salt, the next step is preparing the turkey. This involves rinsing the turkey, removing any excess fat, and then generously coating it with the herbed salt. I like to place the turkey in a roasting bag to help ensure the meat stays incredibly juicy. The roasting bag also minimizes the cleanup – a huge bonus for a busy Thanksgiving day! Then, refrigerate it overnight. This allows the flavors to fully penetrate the meat, resulting in a truly exceptional culinary experience.

The next day, it's all about the roasting process. The key here is to ensure the turkey cooks evenly. I preheat my oven to 325°F. I also place the turkey on a rack in the roasting pan to allow even air circulation and prevent any unwanted soggy bottom. Basting the turkey regularly is crucial to keep it moist and add extra flavour. The combination of the herbed salt and the basting will produce incredibly flavorful and incredibly moist turkey. In addition, I add a medley of chopped onions, herbs and vegetables inside the main and neck cavities of the turkey for extra flavor.

Once the turkey is cooked to perfection, I let it rest before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful final product. The resting period is just as important as the roasting itself – it helps you create a culinary masterpiece. It also allows for the juices to redistribute which leads to a juicier, tastier bird. While the turkey rests, I make the shallot-dijon gravy using the pan juices – a quick and easy process that takes only minutes. The shallot-dijon gravy adds a wonderful tangy flavour to perfectly complement the herbed turkey.

This salted roast turkey recipe is a Thanksgiving staple in our home. It's a perfect blend of tradition and innovation. The flavors are bold yet refined, simple yet impressive, and most importantly, incredibly delicious. It's a recipe that I am happy to share with you, and I am confident it will become your family’s new favorite as well. It’s the perfect combination of flavor, ease, and elegance that will impress your family and friends this Thanksgiving.

Serving Suggestion: Serve this turkey with your favorite sides. My family loves it with classic stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce.

I hope this recipe helps you create a memorable Thanksgiving feast! Happy cooking!

Step-by-step

• Preparation For herbed salt: Rub first 6 ingredients in small bowl to crush herbs finely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; store at room temperature. Stir in peel before using.
• For turkey: Rinse turkey inside and out (do not pat dry). Pull any fat pads from main cavity and neck cavity of turkey; wrap, chill, and reserve fat for roasting. Place turkey in roasting bag; sprinkle inside and out with herbed salt. Close bag. Place on baking sheet; refrigerate 18 to 24 hours.
• Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 325°F. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat very dry. Stir chopped onion and next 5 ingredients in small bowl. Divide onion mixture between main and neck cavities. Fold neck skin under and secure with skewer. Tuck wing tips under. Tie legs together loosely. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Spread butter all over turkey. Place reserved fat pads and reserved neck, heart, and gizzard in pan; pour in 2 cups Golden Turkey Stock.
• Roast turkey 45 minutes. Baste with pan juices. Continue to roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F to 170°F, basting every 45 minutes, adding stock or water to pan if dry, and tenting loosely with foil if browning too quickly, 3 to 3 1/2 hours longer. Transfer turkey to platter; tent very loosely with foil and let rest 30 to 45 minutes. Reserve roasting pan with juices for gravy.
• For gravy: Remove turkey neck, heart, and gizzard from roasting pan. Pull meat off neck; chop neck meat, heart, and gizzard and reserve for gravy, if desired. Pour pan juices into 8-cup measuring cup. Spoon off fat from surface, reserving 1/2 cup fat. Add enough turkey stock to degreased pan juices to measure 5 1/2 cups total.
• Place roasting pan over 2 burners on medium heat. Add 1/2 cup reserved fat and shallots; sauté 1 minute. Whisk in flour. Cook until roux is light brown, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Whisk in wine, stock mixture, mustard, and fresh rosemary. Bring to boil, whisking to blend. Boil until gravy coats spoon, about 3 minutes. Add neck, heart, and gizzard, if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve turkey with gravy.