Ingredients
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14 lbs turkey
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1 tablespoon salt
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1 teaspoon pepper
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18 sprigs fresh thyme, divided
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4 celery ribs, sliced
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2 medium carrots, sliced
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3 bay leaves
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1/2 cup butter, melted
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1 teaspoon minced fresh sage (or 1/2 tsp rubbed sage)
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1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
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1 teaspoon minced chives
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4 medium onions, sliced
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1 tablespoon peppercorn
Instructions
- Rub the surface of the turkey and sprinkle cavity with salt and pepper.
- Place 12 sprigs of thyme in cavity.
- In a large heavy roasting pan, place onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, peppercorns and remaining thyme sprigs.
- Place the turkey, breast side up, over the vegetables.
- Drizzle butter over turkey and sprinkle with minced herbs.
- Cover loosely with foil.
- Bake at 325*F for 2 1/2 hours.
- Remove foil; bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer, basting every 20 minutes.
- Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving.
- For gravy, add a couple of cups of stock to vegetables in pan and heat to deglaze.
- Strain into a saucepan and thicken with some flour and water.
- (I put some cold water into a jar, add a few TBS of flour, screw the lid on and shake it til it is well mixed. Then I strain it thru a tea strainer to keep any lumps of flour out).