If you ever find yourself in a pinch on Thanksgiving and need to make a turkey in under 2 hours, this recipe is just the right one for you. In this recipe, I used the spatchcocking (butterfly) method to cut the spine out of the turkey and lay it flat so it cooks evenly. In my Wolf Convection Oven, I managed to cook my turkey in less than an hour and a half!
- Prep Time: 35m
- Cook Time: 1h 30m
- Total Time: 2h 5m
- Serves: 8 People
- Yield: 1 Turkey
- Category: Entrees
Ingredients
Turkey and Gravy
- 4 large onions, roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 quarts)
- 4 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (about 1 quart)
- 6 stalks celery, roughly chopped (about 1 quart)
- 12 thyme sprigs
- 1 whole turkey (12 to 14 pounds total), butterflied according to these instructions, backbone, neck, and giblets reserved
- 1/2 c of herb butter (recipe to follow)
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 qt low-sodium homemade or store-bought chicken or turkey broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 4 tbsp. flour
Herb Butter
- 1 tbsp. chopped sage
- 1 tbsp. chopped thyme
- 1 tbsp. Traeger poultry rub
- 1/2 c softened butter
Instructions
Turkey and Gravy
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan with aluminum foil. Scatter 2/3rds of onions, carrots, celery and thyme sprigs across the bottom of the pan. Place slotted broiler rack or wire rack directly on top of vegetables.
- Pat turkey dry with paper towels and rub on all surfaces with Butter. Season liberally on all surfaces with salt and black pepper (if using a brined, salted, or Kosher turkey, omit salting step, see note). Tuck wing tips behind back. Place turkey on top of the rack, arranging so that it does not overlap the edges, pressing down on the breastbone to flatten the breasts slightly.
- Transfer turkey to oven and roast, rotating occasionally until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the breast registers 150°F, and the thighs register at least 165°F, about 80 minutes.
- While turkey roasts, make the gravy. Roughly chop the neck, backbone, and giblets. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a 3-quart saucepan over high heat until shimmering. Add chopped turkey parts and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add remaining onions, carrots, and celery and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to soften and brown in spots, another 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, remaining thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a bare simmer. Allow to cook 45 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh strainer into a 2-quart liquid measuring cup and discard solids. Skim off any fat from the surface of the broth.
- Melt butter over medium-high heat in a 2-quart saucepan. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly until flour is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Whisking constantly, add broth in a thin, steady stream until it is all incorporated. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until reduced to about 1 quart, about 20 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cover, and keep gravy warm.
- When the turkey is cooked, remove from oven and transfer rack to a new baking sheet. Allow to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before carving. Carefully pour any collected juices from out of the roasting pan through a fine-mesh strainer into a liquid measuring cup. Skim off excess fat and discard. Whisk juices into gravy.
- Carve turkey and serve with gravy
Butter
- Mix together thyme, sage, salt, pepper, and butter. Smear the outside of the chicken with the butter mixture.