Roasted Sage Turkey with Vegetable Gravy

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. + chilling Bake: 2 hours 10 min. + standing

Makes

16 servings (3-1/2 cups gravy)

Updated: May. 02, 2023
There’s no prep like home-style when roasting the big bird. Instead of sage stuffing with turkey, fill this bird with fresh sage and thyme sprigs for the same delicious flavors. —Beth Jacobson, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Roasted Sage Turkey with Vegetable Gravy Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1 turkey (14 to 16 pounds)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, chopped
  • 1-1/4 cups water, divided
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 3/4 cup white wine
  • 3 fresh sage sprigs
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • GRAVY:
  • 1 to 1-1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

  1. Remove giblets and neck from turkey. Refrigerate turkey neck, covered, overnight. Place turkey in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan, breast side up. Secure skin to underside of neck cavity with toothpicks. Mix salt, sage and garlic powder. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together. Pat turkey dry. Rub outside of turkey with salt mixture. Refrigerate turkey, loosely covered, overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 475°. Place onion, celery, carrots and neck in bottom of a broiler pan; add 1/2 cup water. Place broiler pan rack over top; transfer turkey to rack. Rub outside of turkey with oil; sprinkle with pepper. Pour wine and remaining water into turkey cavity; add sage and thyme sprigs.
  3. Place turkey in oven, legs facing toward back of oven. Roast, uncovered, 40 minutes.
  4. Reduce oven setting to 350°. Cover breast tightly with a double thickness of foil. Roast until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175° (thermometer should not touch bone or fat), 1-1/2 to 2 hours longer.
  5. Remove turkey from oven. Let stand, uncovered, 20 minutes before carving. Using a turkey baster, remove liquid from turkey cavity to a large measuring cup. Line a strainer or colander with cheesecloth; place over measuring cup. With a slotted spoon, remove vegetables from bottom of broiler pan, reserving 1-1/4 cups. Discard turkey neck. Strain cooking liquid into measuring cup. Skim fat, reserving 1/4 cup fat. Add enough broth to the cooking liquid to measure 2 cups.
  6. In a large saucepan, mix flour and reserved fat until smooth; gradually whisk in broth mixture. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Add half the reserved vegetables. Puree gravy using an immersion blender, or cool gravy slightly and puree in a blender. Stir in sage, pepper and remaining vegetables; heat through. Serve with turkey.

Nutrition Facts

9 ounces cooked turkey with about 1/4 cup gravy: 514 calories, 24g fat (6g saturated fat), 215mg cholesterol, 562mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 64g protein.