Roast Turkey With Gravy

1. Preheat Oven

Begin by preheating your oven to 500°F (260°C) with the oven rack set in the lowest position and a baking stone or baking steel placed on it. Allow the oven to preheat for at least 45 minutes to ensure it is thoroughly heated.

2. Prepare Turkey

While the oven is preheating, rinse the turkey inside and out, then pat it dry with paper towels. Season the turkey generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you have dry-brined the turkey, you can skip the rinsing and salting step. Place the turkey breast side up on a V-rack set in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.

3. Roast Turkey

Carefully transfer the turkey to the preheated baking stone in the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C). Roast the turkey until the breast meat registers 150°F (66°C) and the leg meat reaches 165°F (74°C) on a meat thermometer, which should take about 3 to 4 hours. Check the turkey after 2 hours and adjust the oven temperature if needed.

4. Rest Turkey

Once the turkey has reached the desired temperatures, remove it from the oven and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.

5. Prepare Stock

While the turkey is resting, chop the turkey neck into 1-inch chunks and heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the neck pieces, onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until everything is well-browned, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, bay leaves, and soy sauce, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1 hour. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer and set it aside.

6. Make Gravy

To make the gravy, finely chop the turkey giblets (gizzard and liver, if using). In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped giblets and cook until they are just browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook until the mixture turns golden brown, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the prepared stock, bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the gravy has thickened and reduced to about 3 cups. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Carve and Serve

Carve the turkey and serve it with the rich, savory gravy. Enjoy a perfect roast turkey that’s moist, flavorful, and sure to impress your guests.