Turkey is like crack to my husband. He will eat turkey until he can’t move. People think turkey is a special occasion thing.  But I cook three to four turkeys a year.  It’s the meal that keeps on giving.   We buy turkeys after the holidays because they are usually on sale (of course I buy organic ones).  Besides an amazing meal you can use the leftovers to make delicious soups, pot pies, wraps, sandwiches, or just add turkey over a nice salad.   While purchasing a whole bird may seem expensive up front, you will get multiple meals out of it.

I never waste a carcass! Every bit of bones from every animal makes a bone broth.  And I save all the drippings to make gravy or you can keep it pure and just use it as cooking fat.

Any recipe that I use ghee in, I can substitute animal fat. Fat is your friend, if it’s natural! Your body recognizes fat as food, and knows exactly what to do with it!  Turkey, Goose, and Duck (Oh my!!) are my favourites.

Roast Turkey

Ingredients:

• 1 Turkey 15-18 lbs (this is the average size I use)
• Sea Salt and Pepper
• 1 Bunch of Sage (optional)
• Onion – chopped (optional)

Gravy
If you are planning on making gravy, remove the neck from the carcass and put in a small sauce pan and filled with water.  You can chop up an onion and add to the neck.  This will be extra flavour for your gravy.  Keep these in the fridge until you are about an hour away from the turkey being done (including about 30 minutes resting time).  If you’re not planning to make gravy – save that neck for the bone broth you’re going to make after.

Here’s my recipe for Turkey Gravy.

I don’t use the heart, liver and other bits that come with the bird for the gravy.  I use my dehydrator to dehydrate these for dog treats. (Earl, my spoiled doggie loves them!)

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

I know some recipes say wash the bird – but I’ve been taught to NOT wash the bird! Bird water splashes everywhere and contaminates everything, causing way more of a hazard than a bird that is about to sit in an oven at high temperatures for hours.

Sea salt and pepper every bit of the turkey, inside and all.
I like to add a bunch of sage inside, but don’t worry this doesn’t classify the turkey as “stuffed”.  Stuffed birds take longer to cook so this formula of 10-12 minutes a pound won’t work for stuffed birds. Stuffed birds take 12-15 minutes a pound – just an FYI thing.

Place the bird breast side up in a deep roasting pan on a rack.  Every 45 minutes you should baste the bird with the drippings in the pan.  This will encourage that brown crispy skin.

You want to be checking the temp of your turkey about 2/3 of the way through the estimated cooking time, just to be sure you don’t have a wonky oven that cooks super fast.

This is the time I would start cooking the turkey neck in water for the gravy.  It needs to simmer about 45 minutes.

I suggest you invest in a good meat thermometer.  The thermometer doesn’t lie!   Your turkey is cooked when the thickest part of the leg registers at 170 degrees.

Once that thermometer registered this temperature take the turkey out of the oven and place onto a serving platter.  Cover the bird with foil to save the moisture in while it rests.  Keep in mind that the turkey will continue to cook while covered, and will remain smoking hot.

While turkey is resting you will make the gravy or store the fat in a mason jar in the fridge.

The turkey should rest for 30 to 45 minutes to let the meat firm up so it doesn’t release all its juices when you carve it.

Carve and serve!

Here’s a recipe for a yummy Turkey Pot Pie to use up those lovely leftovers!

And don’t forget the Gravy recipe.