Food & Cooking Recipes Dinner Recipes Citrus and Herb Turkey 4.5 (49) This flavorful, aromatic roast turkey and easy pan gravy make a delicious centerpiece for the holiday table. Close Credit: Brie Goldman Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 35 mins Total Time: 3 hrs Servings: 12 to 14 Jump to recipe Our citrus turkey recipe is a must-make for Thanksgiving. It's a delicious dish and a gorgeous, fragrant centerpiece that brings plenty of brightness to the holiday table. Stuffing the cavity of the turkey with orange, lemon, onion, and garlic, together with fresh sage and thyme, infuses the entire bird with delicious flavor from the inside out. The rest of the seasoning is simple: just olive oil to encourage beautiful browning and salt and pepper to round it all out. While the turkey rests, follow our steps for an easy pan gravy that’s made with the flavorful drippings, plus a little milk, flour, and stock. Served together, the duo provides a fresh, fragrant take on the classics, while still bringing plenty of comfort and traditional flavor to the meal. 18 Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers to Kick Off a Fabulous Feast Ingredients for Citrus and Herb Turkey Turkey: This recipe is designed to be made with a 14-pound turkey, which will feed between 12 and 14 people. (If you’re roasting a larger or smaller bird, you’ll want to adjust the amount of salt accordingly). For the crispiest skin, be sure to pat the turkey very dry before rubbing with oil, salt, and pepper. If time allows, it’s always best practice to let the turkey sit at room temperature for up to one hour before roasting for the most even cooking. Citrus: The combination of lemon and orange adds plenty of bright flavor to the turkey and helps to wake up the drippings, making for an extra delicious gravy. Herbs: For that classic, familiar holiday flavor, we use fresh thyme and sage to complement the other aromatics. This is a time when you need fresh herbs; the leaves and sprigs will release their oils as the turkey roasts, better than their dried counterparts would. Experiment with other fresh herbs like rosemary, oregano, and marjoram, if desired. Allium: While the citrus and herbs are the flavor stars here, we couldn’t resist adding some onion and garlic for a savory background. Halving the head of garlic crosswise will help it to release its flavor while making it easy to remove from the cavity after cooking. Seasonings: Given all the other flavors involved, we keep the seasonings simple with just plain coarse salt and pepper. This recipe was developed with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which differs in granule size from other brands like Morton’s. If using Morton’s instead, plan to use half as much to keep your bird from becoming too salty. How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey If you've purchased your turkey frozen, you've got two options for thawing it before the big day. Both methods work equally well; it mainly depends on how much time (and fridge space) you can devote to the task. In the fridge: If you have the space in your refrigerator, allow for 24 hours to thaw every four to five pounds of turkey. For a 14-pound bird, you'll need about three days. Keep it in its wrapping and place it in a large baking dish, bowl, or roasting pan to catch any liquid that seeps out. In the sink: If you're short on time or space, you can thaw your turkey in a sink full of cold water. Be sure to fully submerge the turkey in water and change the water out every 30 minutes or so. It'll take about 30 minutes per pound of turkey, so plan for at least seven hours of thawing time if using this method. he most accurate and foolproof way to ensure your turkey is perfectly cooked is by temping it in a few places with an instant-read thermometer. If you don't have one, we highly recommend getting one before the holiday, as there are few things more disappointing than cutting into an underdone or overdone bird after a marathon day of cooking. If you don't have an instant-read thermometer, pierce the thickest part of the thigh with the tip of a knife and look at the juices; if they run clear—and aren't the least bit pink or red—you can be pretty certain your turkey is done. Directions Credit: Brie Goldman Preheat oven and adjust rack: Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in lower third position. Season and stuff cavity; tie legs and place turkey in roasting pan: Season cavity of turkey with 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stuff cavity with orange, lemon, onion, garlic, and herbs. Tie legs with twine and transfer turkey to a rack set inside a roasting pan. Credit: Brie Goldman Rub with oil and season; add broth: Rub skin with olive oil and season with remaining salt and pepper. Pour 2 cups chicken stock into roasting pan. Credit: Brie Goldman Roast turkey, basting after the first hour: Transfer turkey to oven and roast for 2 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 165°F. After first hour of roasting, baste turkey every 30 minutes, and tent with foil if skin becomes deep golden brown before turkey is cooked. Credit: Brie Goldman Transfer turkey to a carving board and let rest: Remove turkey from oven and transfer to a carving board. Let stand at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make gravy: Place roasting pan on stovetop over medium-high heat and bring pan drippings and remaining 1 cup chicken stock to a simmer. Combine milk and flour in a mason jar and shake vigorously to combine. Whisk milk mixture into gravy and simmer, whisking constantly, until gravy thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Credit: Brie Goldman Carve turkey and serve: Carve turkey and serve with gravy. Tips for Carving a Turkey Gather your materials: Before cutting into the bird, have your platter and some aluminum foil ready to go. As you slice off the meat, loosely tent it with foil to keep it as warm as possible for serving. Opt for a carving board: Unlike a standard cutting board, a carving board has a groove that runs around its edge to catch any juices, keeping them from running off onto your counter. (Tip: Stir them into the gravy!) Use a long, sharp knife: To get nice, even slices of meat, it's best to use a sharp knife with a long blade, such as a carving knife or a standard chef's knife. Try to make long, smooth cuts rather than sawing at the meat, which can cause it to shred and fall apart. Save the light meat for last: Since the breast meat contains less fat and moisture than the dark meat, carve the legs first and save the light meat for last, to keep it from drying out. Check out our step-by-step guide to carving a turkey for more information. How to Store Leftover Citrus and Herb Turkey Leftover cooked turkey can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days or be frozen, wrapped well and stored in a freezer bag, for up to four months. Using Up Leftover Turkey One of the best parts of Thanksgiving is the leftover turkey. From salads and sandwiches to tacos and soups, we've got plenty of ways to put it to use, including: Layering it with stuffing, gravy, and vegetables into this hearty shepherd's pie Stirring it into this light yet satisfying tortellini soup or this comforting turkey noodle soup Shredding it for egg-topped breakfast tacos Making a crunchy and creamy turkey salad with celery, apple, and raisins, or layering it onto an apple-cheddar sandwich And don't forget to save the carcass and any leftover bits or trimmings to make homemade turkey stock. Use it for soups throughout the week or freeze it for later in the year. 6 More Roast Turkey Recipes to Try Roast Turkey With Herb Butter Lemon-Herb Turkey With Bay Butter and Gravy Salt-and-Pepper Turkey Upside-Down Turkey Slow-Grilled Turkey Roast Spatchcocked Turkey Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.