People do some crazy things to turkeys: deep frying them, sticking them inside ducks, sticking cans of beer, soda, or whole chickens inside them, stuffing them with Twinkies, or even microwaving them… Seriously, you should check out some of the recipes online. Some of the ideas are enticing (minus the Twinkies and microwaved options), but how often do you roast a whole turkey? A couple times a year?

I recently read an old cookbook called Roast Chicken and Other Stories. The author obviously loves roasting a bird. And honestly, I think it’s the best option too.

1 whole turkey (about 16-20 lbs)
1 stick of butter
1 handful of fresh sage leaves, chopped finely or ground
a few sprigs worth of thyme leaves (or a couple shakes)
1 c dry white wine
1-2 c water
salt & pepper

Here’s a quick overview. You’re going to stuff it, brush on some sage butter, and stick it in the oven, basting a couple times until it’s nicely browned, crispy on the outside and moist on the interior. Then rest, carve, and serve.

1. Defrost your turkey in the fridge for a few days.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°.
3. Rinse the turkey and remove all the “extra parts.” Make sure to check all the cavities. As you know, Butterball and other turkey brands like to play a morbid game of hide-and-seek with consumers, stuffing turkey necks, livers, and the occasional pre-made gravy pouch inside various turkey cavities and skin flaps. It’s not the type of Thanksgiving surprise your guests are hoping for when they carve the turkey.
4. Place the turkey in a roasting pan. You can insert a roasting rack into the pan if you have one, which prevents the bottom from potentially burning, but it’s not crucial, since we’re putting a little liquid in the pan.
5. Melt the butter and mix in the herbs with some salt and pepper.
6. Stuff with the stuffing until you can stuff no more.
7. Tie the legs together with some kitchen twine and tuck the wings under.
8. Brush on the melted butter all over the skin and under it as far as you can reach.
9. Pour the water and wine into the pan, so that it covers the bottom and just comes up a bit.
10. Place in the oven for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°.
11. Rotate the pan halfway through. If the stuffing is crisping up, cover it with a piece of foil. If the liquid has evaporated, add some more.
12. It’ll take anywhere between 2 1/2 – 4 more hours, depending on the size of the bird and the oven. You want the meat and stuffing to register 165° to make sure you kill any salmonella.
13. Once it registers 165°, lift it out and rest 20-30 minutes before carving. This gives you a chance to make your pan gravy.

For the pan gravy, swirl together 1/4 c of flour with 2 c of water. Strain the pan juices into a pot or back into the roasting pan to remove any bits and pieces. Add in the flour/water mixture a little at a time. Heat until it starts to bubble and thickens, then toss in a nob of butter. Taste to season, although it should be pretty flavorful already. If it’s too thin, add more of the flour/water mixture. If it’s too thick, dilute with water.