Easier Roast Turkey and Gravy

A baking stone is the secret to an evenly cooked bird in this favorite Thanksgiving recipe from America’s Test Kitchen.

A baking stone is the secret to an evenly cooked bird in this fan-favorite Thanksgiving recipe. America's Test Kitchen/Carl Tremblay

Why This Recipe Works: To season the meat and help it retain more juices as it cooked, we loosened the skin of the turkey and applied a mixture of salt and sugar to the flesh. We preheated both a baking stone and roasting pan in the oven before placing the turkey in the pan. The stone absorbed heat and delivered it through the pan to the turkey’s legs and thighs, which needed to cook to a higher temperature than the delicate breast meat (which we protected with a foil shield). After the leg quarters had gotten a jump start on cooking, we reduced the oven temperature from 425 degrees F to 325 degrees F and removed the shield to allow the breast to brown while the bird finished cooking. The boost of heat provided by the stone also helped the juices brown and reduce into concentrated drippings that could be turned into a flavorful gravy in the time that the turkey rested.

Note that this recipe requires salting the bird in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours. This recipe was developed and tested using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you have Morton Kosher Salt, which is denser than Diamond Crystal, reduce the salt in step 1 to 3 tablespoons. Rub 1 tablespoon salt mixture into each breast, 1 1/2 teaspoons into each leg, and remainder into cavity. Table salt is too fine and not recommended for this recipe. If you are roasting a kosher or self-basting turkey (such as a frozen Butterball), do not salt it; it already contains a good amount of sodium. The success of this recipe is dependent on saturating the pizza stone and roasting pan with heat. We recommend preheating the stone, pan, and oven for at least 30 minutes.