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Roast Heritage Turkey And Gravy
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Achieve turkey perfection with this heritage bird preparation featuring an apple cider brine that ensures remarkably juicy, flavorful meat. Fresh herbs and aromatics infuse the bird from within while a butter-herb mixture under the skin creates self-basting magic. The accompanying gravy incorporates the depth of red wine with roasted giblets and a touch of hard-boiled egg for authentic richness. This comprehensive recipe covers every detail from brining to perfect doneness temperature for a show-stopping holiday centerpiece.
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Ingredients
1 16- to 20-pound heritage-breed turkey
1 quart apple cider
1 cup kosher salt
2 lemons, quartered
5 bay leaves
1 medium apple, quartered but not peeled
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
6 garlic cloves
1 bunch thyme

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8 tablespoons/1 stick unsalted butter, softened
6 sprigs rosemary
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 cup red wine
3 cups turkey or chicken stock, plus more if needed
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped (optional)
Directions
  • A day ahead of roasting, remove neck and giblets from turkey.
  • Mix cider, salt, lemons, bay leaves and 3 quarts water together in a large bowl or stockpot; stir to dissolve salt.
  • Submerge turkey in the bowl or pot, cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
  • Alternatively, put turkey and brine in two clean, unscented plastic garbage bags (one bag inside the other), tie well and place in a cooler with ice or ice packs.
  • When you are ready to roast, heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Rinse turkey and pat dry.
  • Stuff apple, onion, garlic and most of the thyme into turkey.
  • Lift skin at neck and gently use your hand to separate skin from breast meat. Rub half the butter under skin and slip in remaining thyme and two rosemary sprigs. Use remaining butter to rub outside of bird, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
  • Set a rack into a roasting pan and place four rosemary sprigs on top of the rack.
  • Place bird on top of rosemary.
  • Add turkey neck and giblets to bottom of pan.
  • Take two pieces of heavy foil cut to the length of the pan.
  • Fold the two together to create a single sheet to tent the bird.
  • Transfer to oven and roast. Roasting time will be 3 to 3 1/2 hours for an 18-pound bird.
  • Add 10 minutes per pound for larger birds.
  • Subtract 10 minutes per pound for smaller birds.
  • Midway through cooking time, remove giblets and neck and add wine and 1 cup water.
  • Twenty minutes before roasting time is complete, begin to test for doneness with a digital probe thermometer inserted at the deepest part of the thigh.
  • It is done when thigh registers 160 degrees.
  • Remove bird from oven and transfer to a serving platter.
  • Place roasting pan over low heat on the stovetop and add 21/2 cups stock.
  • Scrape all the browned turkey bits from bottom of pan.
  • Skim 2/3 of the fat from top of drippings and discard.
  • Bring drippings to a boil; reduce to a simmer.
  • You may wish to strain at this point to remove stray bits, but they add character to the finished gravy.
  • Finely chop giblets and neck meat.
  • Dissolve cornstarch in 1/2 cup stock.
  • Add slurry to drippings, stirring constantly, until thickened. If gravy seems too thick, whisk in a bit more stock.
  • Add chopped egg and giblets and neck meat.
  • Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Servings
Makes at least 12 servings
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Per Serving (based on 12 servings): Calories: 510; Total Fat: 22g (Saturated Fat: 8g); Cholesterol: 235mg; Sodium: 920mg; Total Carbohydrates: 8g (Dietary Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 5g); Protein: 64g
*Nutrition information is provided as a general estimate only. Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients, and is based on available nutrient data. Variations may occur based on ingredient brands and preparation methods.
💬 Uncle Dave says... From the New York Times
🧑‍🍳 The Cook:  Dave Ferguson 🔑 Keywords: gravy, turkey, Thanksgiving, Christmas
🗂️ Categories: 🍗 Chicken & Other Poultry, 🎄 The Holidays
📚 Cookbooks: Uncle Dave's Cookbook, The TFR Cookbook
Roast Heritage Turkey And Gravy was added on December 04, 2014 and last updated on April 26, 2025.
📄 A Quick Note About The Recipes At The Ferguson Recipes: We love sharing recipes, but please be aware that most haven't been professionally tested in our kitchen or independantly verified. Your safety is important to us, so always practice safe food handling and cooking techniques. Cook smart and use your best judgment! Have questions about a specific recipe? Feel free to reach out to us.
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