Kettle Roasted Turkey Recipe

Preheat and prepare turkey

Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature 30 minutes while you prepare vegetables and seasoning. Remove any giblets from the cavity and pat the turkey dry inside and out with paper towels.

Make herb butter and season

In a small bowl, combine softened butter, kosher salt (2 tbs), black pepper (1 tsp), garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Zest the lemon and stir half the zest into the butter. Gently loosen the skin over the turkey breast by sliding your hand between skin and meat, being careful not to tear the skin. Rub half the herb butter under the skin over the breasts and the rest over the outside of the turkey. Stuff the cavity with lemon halves and fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs.

Tie and oil

Truss the legs with kitchen twine (optional) to ensure even cooking. Brush the outside of the turkey with 1–2 tbs olive oil to help browning.

Prepare vegetables

In a large bowl, toss halved red potatoes, carrot pieces, onion quarters, and smashed garlic with 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper until evenly coated.

Arrange in Dutch oven

Place the vegetables in the bottom of a large Dutch oven (at least 6–7 quart) in an even layer. Scatter the bay leaves among the vegetables.

Add liquids and place turkey

Pour 2 cups low-sodium stock and 1 cup white wine (or extra stock) into the Dutch oven around the vegetables — do not pour over the buttered turkey. Carefully set the prepared turkey on top of the vegetable bed, breast side up. The liquid should come up but not cover the vegetables entirely (roughly 1/2–1 inch depth).

Roast covered

Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Roast covered for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, depending on turkey size. After the first 60 minutes, baste the turkey once with pan juices. Check the liquid level halfway through and add up to 1/2 cup stock if it’s getting too low to prevent burning of vegetables.

Uncover and brown

Remove the lid during the last 30–45 minutes to allow the skin to brown and crisp. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) reads 165°F (74°C). Tent loosely with foil if the skin is browning too quickly.

Rest the turkey

Carefully transfer the turkey to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let rest 20–30 minutes before carving so juices redistribute. Meanwhile, keep the Dutch oven with vegetables and pan juices on the stove over low heat to prepare gravy (optional).

Skim and reduce pan juices

Skim excess fat from the surface of the pan juices in the Dutch oven. Place pot over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes to concentrate flavor, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.

Finish gravy

If you prefer a thicker gravy, mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbs cold water to make a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the simmering pan juices and cook 1–2 minutes until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Strain if a smooth gravy is desired.

Serve

Carve the turkey and serve with the roasted red potatoes, carrots, and onions, spooning pan juices or gravy over the meat and vegetables.