Servings: 14

Ingredients:

1 Spanish onion or 2 onions
2 stalks celery
1 large carrot
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh sage
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
5 peppercorns, crushed
1 turkey (12-14 lb/5.5-6.3 kg)
2 tbsp (25 mL) butter, melted
3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
Pan gravy:
1/4 cup (50 mL) all-purpose flour
6 cups (1.5 L) Turkey Stock
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice (approx)

Preparation:

Dice onion, celery and carrot into small pieces. In skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; sauté vegetables until lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Let cool. Mix in sage, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 8 hours.)

Pat turkey dry inside and out. Stuff body cavity with vegetable mixture; skewer cavity shut. Tie legs together and tuck wings under back.

Place turkey, breast side up, on greased rack in roasting pan. Brush with butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with foil. Roast in 375°F (190°C) oven for 1 hour. Remove foil; roast, basting with drippings every 20 minutes, until meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh registers 185°F (85°C), 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Remove skewers. Spoon vegetable mixture and juices into bowl; set aside. Lift turkey onto warmed platter; tent with foil and let stand for at least 15 minutes or for up to 30 minutes.

Pan Gravy: Meanwhile, skim all but 2 tbsp (25 mL) of the fat from pan juices; whisk flour into pan. Place pan over medium heat; cook for 2 minutes, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan. Gradually whisk in stock. Add vegetable mixture to pan juices, along with salt and pepper. Bring to boil; boil, stirring constantly, until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, adding a little more to taste, if desired. Strain into warmed gravy boat.

Additional Information

Substitution:
You can use canned condensed chicken stock instead of turkey stock, but dilute it with twice the amount of water and omit the salt.