| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 9 hr |
| Active: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 10 servings |
Ingredients
- One 15- to 18-pound turkey (neck and giblets removed)
- Two 1-ounce packets ranch seasoning
- 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 carrots, cut into thirds
- 3 stalks celery, cut into thirds
- 1 medium onion, cut into 8 wedges
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Allow the turkey to come to room temperature for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Remove 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning from 1 packet and reserve. In a small bowl, mix together 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of butter with the remaining ranch seasoning from both packets until well incorporated.
- Arrange the carrots, celery and onions in the bottom of a roasting pan, then put a roasting rack over them. Put the turkey on the rack and spread the ranch butter all over and underneath the skin. Season generously with salt and pepper. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and put the turkey inside to roast.
- In the meantime, add the maple syrup and 2 cups of chicken stock to a saucepan, then stir in the 2 tablespoons reserved ranch seasoning. Bring to a simmer just to warm through and incorporate the seasoning. Roast the turkey, basting with this liquid every 20 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 160 degrees F (allow about 1 hour of cooking time for every 3 pounds of turkey). Tent with a piece of aluminum foil and let rest at least 30 minutes. (There will be carryover cooking and the temperature will rise to 165 degrees F while resting.)
- For the gravy, strain the juices left in the bottom of the roasting pan into a fat separator and pour the fat off the top. Put the roasting pan on a burner on top of the stove over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and whisk in the flour, cooking for a minute. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 cups chicken stock along with any remaining braising liquid and the juices from the roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper and serve alongside the turkey.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 548 |
| Total Fat | 31 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13 g |
| Carbohydrates | 14 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 53 g |
| Cholesterol | 375 mg |
| Sodium | 2127 mg |
Reviews
As always, Katie has another hit! This is my new “Go To” recipe for Thanksgiving turkey, and have cooked a few turkeys using it now. The only things I do differently is add oranges, lemons and onions to the turkey cavity for a little extra flavor, but certainly not required.
This is honestly the best turkey recipe I have ever had. It has been a staple in our family now for over three years. So simple and so flavorful. Recipe is perfect for someone who is making their first turkey. It is perfect and will be your go to for years to come. I was nervous to make my first turkey and now I am called the expert. Thank you Katie for such an amazing recipe
Made this turkey for Thanksgiving. It was simple yet so flavorful and juicy. Everyone really enjoyed it , thank you.
The drippings made the best gravy I have ever tasted.
Easy And Tasty!
Tried this recipe for our Thanksgiving dinner and it was delicious.
This was delicious! I tested this recipe out on a chicken to make sure the flavors were good before making our thanksgiving turkey this way. I used store brand Ranch mix but you could also make your own if that’s your thing. I was worried it was going to have an overly ranch flavor but it doesn’t. Just a nice, juicy herb flavor! The gravy was absolutely delightful as well!
Katie, I want to use this recipe for the upcoming Thanksgiving. How would you adjust it if you were to brine the turkey? I don’t want it to come out overly salty. Thank you!!
I made this for Thanksgiving. My guests couldn’t believe how moist the turkey was. Delicious recipe. Thanks Katie Lee!
This was our Thanksgiving 2017 recipe and it was fantastic! It truly wasn’t “ranchy”- just very flavorful. I made it with a bone-in turkey breast in an oven bag, so no basting! Love The Kitchen!