Herb-Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Sauce

A home-kitchen Thanksgiving roast turkey with herb butter under and over the skin, roasted in a pan with aromatics for drippings, then served with a stovetop cranberry-orange sauce. The bird is roasted until the thigh and breast reach safe doneness, rested, carved, and plated with a bright sauce for contrast.

By Julienne

Cook time: 190 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 piece yellow onion quartered
• 3 stalk celery stalks cut into large pieces
• 2 piece carrot cut into large pieces
• 250 ml water hot, divided
• 1 piece whole turkey thawed, 3.6 to 4.1 kg, neck and giblets removed
• 18 g fine salt divided
• 3 g black pepper freshly ground, divided
• 5 g fresh rosemary chopped, divided
• 4 g fresh thyme leaves stripped, divided
• 3 g fresh sage chopped, divided
• 4 clove garlic cloves minced or smashed, divided
• 85 g unsalted butter softened, divided
• 15 ml olive oil divided
• 250 ml water hot, divided
• 340 g fresh or frozen cranberries rinsed if fresh
• 180 ml orange juice
• 2 g orange zest finely grated
• 90 g granulated sugar
• 1 g ground cinnamon
• 9 g fine salt divided
• 3 g black pepper freshly ground, divided
• 5 g fresh rosemary chopped, divided
• 4 g fresh thyme leaves stripped, divided
• 3 g fresh sage chopped, divided
• 2 clove garlic cloves minced or smashed, divided

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 220°C. Set a roasting rack in a large roasting pan. Scatter the onion, celery, and carrot in the pan, then add 250 ml of the water around the vegetables. The oven is fully preheated and the roasting pan is set up.
2. Pat the turkey dry. Mix 18 g of the salt, 3 g of the black pepper, 5 g of the rosemary, 4 g of the thyme, 3 g of the sage, 4 minced garlic cloves, and all 85 g of the butter into a paste. Loosen the skin over the breast and thighs, then spread most of the paste under the skin and the rest over the outside of the bird. The turkey is evenly seasoned under and over the skin.
3. Place the turkey on the rack breast side up. Roast for 30 minutes at 220°C, then reduce the oven to 175°C. Brush the bird with all 15 ml of olive oil and add the remaining 250 ml of water to the pan if it has evaporated. The skin is starting to turn golden and the pan still has some moisture.
4. Continue roasting 2 to 2.5 hours, basting once or twice with pan juices and rotating the pan if needed. If the breast browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 74°C and the breast reads at least 71°C. The turkey reaches safe doneness and the juices run mostly clear.
5. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and rest for 25 to 30 minutes before carving. While it rests, pour the pan drippings into a measuring cup; skim off excess fat if needed. The turkey has rested and the drippings are ready for the sauce.
6. Make the cranberry sauce: combine the cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, sugar, cinnamon, remaining 9 g salt, remaining 3 g black pepper, remaining 5 g rosemary, remaining 4 g thyme, remaining 3 g sage, and remaining 2 cloves of garlic in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens to a spoon-coating consistency. Stir in up to 50 ml of the pan drippings if you want a richer sauce. Most cranberries have burst and the sauce looks glossy and thickened.
7. Carve the turkey and serve with the cranberry sauce on the side. The sliced meat is juicy and the sauce is thick enough to spoon.