Name: Easy Roast Turkey with Gravy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 165 min
Ingredients: 9 to 10 lbs turkey (fresh or defrosted); 1 tbsp butter (softened); 3 carrots (coarsely chopped); 2 celery stalks (coarsely chopped ); 1 large onion (quatered); fresh herbs, rosemary, thyme, parsley sprigs; 3 garlic (cloves, medium); 2 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. ground pepper; 1/2 -3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional); reserved pan drippings, veggies and herbs; 4 cups turkey or chicken stock (more broth to thin out gravy if necessary); 4 tbsp. flour; 2 tbsp. butter (the drippings are already fatty so no need to use too much butter here.)

Last Updated on July 8, 2020 by Sweet and Savoury Pursuits

Roasting a turkey need not be a stressful affair, all it takes are a few simple steps and some basic aromatic ingredients for a delicious and flavourful Easy Roast Turkey with Gravy.

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With all the preparations necessary for the holidays, cooking a holiday feast can be a stressful and needless to say time-consuming affair. However, a roast turkey, the classic holiday table centrepiece, doesn't have to be complicated.

Truth is, while a turkey takes some time to roast, it actually takes very little effort and hands-on time. With this recipe for an Easy Roast Turkey with Gravy, I will show you how simple it is to have a flavourful, tender and juicy roast turkey.

Defrosting a Turkey

The first thing to remember is that if you're using a frozen turkey you'll need to defrost it in the fridge for a few days, even longer if it's an especially large turkey.

If you forget to take the turkey out before the big event, you can defrost a turkey in a sink full of cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is defrosted. It takes about one hour per pound, so you still need to allow several hours for this process.

If you don't own a meat thermometer it's a good idea to purchase one, they're not expensive and will take the guessing work out of knowing when your turkey is fully cooked.

To know if a turkey is done without a meat thermometer, pierce the turkey with a knife in several places, if the turkey is done the juices will run clear.

Raw seasoned turkey ready to be roasted.

Preparing a Turkey for Roasting

To get your turkey ready for roasting you'll first need to remove the neck and giblets from the cavity. I like to keep them to roast alongside the turkey, they're great for flavouring the drippings and pan juices for the gravy.

The trick to having a flavourful turkey is to ensure you use aromatic ingredients to rub the bird with, stuff in its cavity and to roast alongside the turkey. No need for expensive ingredients here, all you need are some basic aromatics (take a look at the recipe below for a list of ingredients).

Not only will this ensure a flavourful turkey but the drippings and pan juices from the turkey will provide you with a tasty base for a delicious gravy.

Most of the turkey's flavour, golden colour, and crisp skin will actually come from the butter rub, a mixture of butter, crushed garlic and salt. This rub goes all over the turkey (under and over the skin) and will season the turkey while it roasts.

Next, the turkey gets a light sprinkling of freshly ground pepper and ground cinnamon. My family has been using this rub for as long as I can remember and I can assure you it tastes absolutely amazing. I promise you the cinnamon will not make your turkey taste like dessert! In fact, cinnamon is a spice often used to flavour savoury Middle-Eastern dishes.

Roast turkey with slice cut off to expose cooked breast.

If you are making side dishes you'll want to be working on them while your turkey is roasting. Because once your turkey is cooked, you will want to turn your attention to the gravy.

I won't repeat the instructions for making the gravy here as all of the directions are indicated in the recipe below. Just know that all of those aromatics that were used to roast the turkey will work wonders for the gravy.

If you need inspiration, take a look at my Holiday Favourites section to see other delicious dishes you can make to enjoy alongside this roast turkey. There you will be able to find everything you need from appetizers to desserts to complete your holiday feast.

And finally, if you have any leftover turkey, try making this amazing Creamy Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Soup. Just use turkey instead of chicken.

Happy holidays!

If you make this recipe let me know how it went for you in the comment section below. I'd love to know if you made any variations to the recipe and how it worked out. And if you take a picture, share it with me on Instagram by tagging #sweetandsavourypursuits, I love to see your photos!