From Scratch
Thanksgiving Turkey, From Farm to Hand Pie
How to choose, brine and roast the bird, turn the bones into gravy and broth, and stretch every leftover into meals for the whole week.
By Deborah Nagai · Artisanal Academy
Welcome to From Scratch. We cannot make a turkey in our kitchens, but we can choose how processed it is when it arrives, and we can make everything that comes after it.
One bird becomes the roast, the gravy, a big pot of broth and a month of meals. That is the from-scratch lesson this Thanksgiving: buy the least-processed turkey you can find, then let nothing go to waste. Those turkey pot hand pies at the top of the page? They started as Thursday’s leftovers.
What a store turkey goes through
Most grocery turkeys are more processed than people realize. Here is what the words on the label actually mean.
| Label | What it means | My take |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh | Never chilled below 26°F. It is cold, not just harvested. | Best texture. Order early. |
| Frozen | Held at 0°F or below. | Fine quality, but it needs days to thaw. |
| Enhanced / self-basting | Injected with a solution of water, salt, broth, fat or flavorings. | Skip it. You pay turkey prices for salt water, and you cannot brine it. |
| Kosher | Salted during processing. | Already seasoned. Do not brine. |
| Natural | No artificial ingredients, minimally processed. Says nothing about how the bird was raised. | Read past this word. |
| No hormones added | Hormones are banned in all U.S. poultry. | Marketing only. |
| Pasture-raised | The birds had outdoor access. Standards vary by farm. | Ask the farmer how they raise them. |
| Heritage | Older breeds like Bourbon Red and Narragansett that grow slowly and mate naturally. | More dark meat, deeper flavor, higher price. |
The standard store bird is the Broad Breasted White. It was bred for so much breast meat that it can no longer mate on its own, and it reaches market weight in about four to five months. Heritage turkeys take six to seven.
Make it or buy it?
Buy the bird, cook it yourself. About 45 minutes of hands-on work spread over three days gets you a far better turkey than any pre-cooked option, for a fraction of the price.
Then make the gravy, the broth and the leftover meals from scratch. That is where homemade wins big on both cost and flavor.
the cost
What a 12 to 14 pound turkey costs
| Option | Approximate cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional, cooked at home | $15–40 (about $1–3/lb) | Wholesale frozen hens are forecast near $1.76 per pound this year. Check the label for “enhanced.” |
| Local pasture-raised, cooked at home | $110–165 (about $8–12/lb) | You are paying for slow growth, pasture and small-batch processing. |
| Pre-cooked turkey dinner | $125–200 for 4–8 people | Reheated, so the skin goes soft. |
From my own shopping cart
Here is what organic, fresh birds cost on one of my past Thanksgiving shopping trips. Prices change every year, but the gap between them is a good guide.
| Turkey | Price per pound | What I paid |
|---|---|---|
| Diestel Organic American Heirloom (Whole Foods) | $4.99 | $55.64 for 11.15 lb |
| Whole Foods organic fresh young turkey | $3.99 | $50.39 for 12.63 lb |
| Trader Joe’s organic fresh young turkey | $3.99 | Sold in 12–16 lb sizes |
Read the fine print. Look closely at those two labels. The Diestel bird says it may contain up to 3% retained water, and the Whole Foods bird up to 6%. Most processors chill turkeys in cold water baths, and the birds soak some of it up. Since 2001, USDA has required that water to be listed on the label. On a 13-pound bird, 6% is about three-quarters of a pound of water you pay for. Air-chilled birds have none.
Watch the bag next door. At Trader Joe’s, the brined turkeys sit right beside the organic ones. A brined or kosher bird is already salted, so skip the dry brine below or it will be far too salty.
local love
Where to find a local turkey
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26. Pasture-raised flocks near us are small and sell out every fall, so reserve now. Only a few local farms process fresh birds, so always ask “fresh or frozen?” when you order.
Paicines Ranch
Paicines, about 50 minutes south
Pasture-raised turkeys on certified-organic rangeland, with halves and breasts too. Pick up at the ranch or the Mountain View Farmers’ Market on Sundays. 831-628-0288.
Root Down Farm
Pescadero
Certified-organic heritage turkeys raised fully on pasture. Reserve on the website or call 650-879-9921.
Sol Seeker Farm
Near Lockwood
Certified-organic pasture poultry, including Bourbon Red heritage turkeys. Email solseekerfarm@gmail.com.
Fogline Farm
Santa Cruz coast
Has offered pasture-raised turkeys from partner PT Ranch through its online marketplace.
Pickup dates and prices change every year. Call or email the farm to confirm before you plan your week. No farm pickup nearby? Ask your butcher for a fresh, unenhanced California bird such as Diestel or Willie Bird.
a little history
A Mexican bird with a Turkish name
The turkey was first domesticated in Mexico, roughly 2,000 years ago. The Aztecs called it huexolotl, which lives on today as guajolote, the traditional meat in mole poblano.
Spanish ships carried turkeys to Europe in the early 1500s. Europeans confused them with guinea fowl, which arrived through Turkish traders, and the name “turkey” stuck. English colonists then brought domestic turkeys back across the Atlantic.
The 1621 Plymouth harvest feast probably did not star a turkey. The one eyewitness account mentions wild “fowl,” likely ducks and geese, and five deer the Wampanoag brought. Turkey became the centerpiece in the 1800s, after writer Sarah Josepha Hale campaigned for 17 years for a national holiday. Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it in 1863.
Benjamin Franklin never proposed the turkey as our national bird. In a 1784 letter to his daughter, he only teased that it was more respectable than the bald eagle.
the science
One bird, two kinds of meat
The whole challenge of a roast turkey is that one bird holds two different meats, and they want different finishing temperatures. Every technique below is a way to slow the breast down or speed the legs up.
| White meat (breast) | Dark meat (thighs, legs) | |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle type | Fast-twitch: short bursts, little use | Slow-twitch: walking all day |
| Fat and collagen | Lean, little connective tissue | More fat, lots of collagen |
| Best finished at | 155–160°F, rising to 165°F while resting | 175–180°F, so collagen melts into gelatin |
| If overcooked | Dry and stringy | Very forgiving |
Why I dry brine
- Salt pulls moisture out, dissolves into it, then soaks back into the meat over one to three days.
- Salt loosens the muscle proteins so they hold more water when heated.
- The skin dries in the fridge, which is the secret to crisp, deep-brown skin.
Why I skip the wet brine
- A bucket of salt water adds water, not flavor, so the meat tastes watered down.
- The skin turns rubbery instead of crisp.
- You need fridge space for two gallons of raw poultry liquid.
Browning. The golden color and roasted flavor come from the Maillard reaction between proteins and sugars. It only happens on a dry surface above roughly 300°F, which is why we air-dry the bird uncovered.
Carryover cooking. A large roast keeps climbing 5 to 10 degrees after it leaves the oven. Pull the breast at 155–160°F and let the rest finish the job.
Use a thermometer, not a timer. Pop-up timers fire around 180°F, when the breast is already dry. An instant-read thermometer is the best tool you can own for this meal.
Three food safety rules
- Do not rinse the raw bird. Rinsing splashes bacteria around the sink, and cooking kills them anyway.
- Bake stuffing in its own dish. Inside the bird it must reach 165°F, and by then the breast is overcooked.
- Thaw in the fridge, never on the counter. Allow one day for every four to five pounds.
the recipe
Dry-brined roast turkey
| When | Fresh bird | Frozen 12–14 lb bird |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Nov 21 | Confirm pickup | Move to the fridge to thaw |
| Mon–Tue, Nov 23–24 | Pick up and dry brine the same day | Fully thawed; dry brine |
| Thursday, Nov 26 | Roast | Roast |
Dry-Brined Roast Turkey
You will need
- 1 whole turkey, 12–14 lb, fresh or fully thawed, not enhanced or kosher
- 3½ tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Morton kosher, which is denser)
- 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder (optional, for extra-crisp skin)
- 2 teaspoons black pepper and the zest of 1 orange
- 1 tablespoon each fresh thyme, sage and rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 onion, 1 lemon or orange and a handful of herb stems for the cavity
- 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs and 1 onion, roughly chopped, for the pan
- 4 tablespoons softened butter (optional) and 2 cups broth
- Prep. Remove the neck and giblets and save them for gravy. Pat the bird very dry. Do not rinse it.
- Dry brine. Mix the salt, baking powder, pepper, herbs and zest. Sprinkle it over every surface, with about one-third inside the cavity and under the breast skin.
- Air-dry. Set the bird on a rack over a sheet pan and refrigerate it uncovered for one to three days. The skin will look tight and slightly translucent.
- Temper. On roast day, take the bird out 1 hour ahead. Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the lower third.
- Set up. Scatter the vegetables in a roasting pan and add the broth. Tuck the aromatics into the cavity, rub on the butter and tuck the wing tips behind the back.
- Roast. Roast at 425°F for 30 minutes, then lower to 325°F. Start checking at 2 hours. If the breast browns too fast, tent just the breast with foil.
- Check. The breast should read 155–160°F at its thickest point and the thigh 175°F, near the bone but not touching it.
- Rest. Move the turkey to a board, tent it loosely and rest 30 to 45 minutes. Make the gravy now.
- Carve. Pop off the legs at the hip joint, then lift each breast off whole and slice it crosswise. Save every bone for broth.
Faster option:Spatchcock it. Cut out the backbone with kitchen shears and press the bird flat. Roast at 450°F for 80 to 100 minutes, to the same temperatures. The backbone goes straight into your gravy stock.
Fridge
- Raw fresh turkey: 1–2 days. With a dry brine, roast within 3 days of pickup.
- Roast turkey, carved off the bone: 3–4 days. Refrigerate within 2 hours of serving.
Freezer
- Raw turkey: up to 1 year.
- Roast turkey: 2–6 months, in labeled 2-cup portions.
Carve all the meat off the bone before it goes into the fridge. It cools faster and takes far less space. Add a spoonful of broth or pan juices to keep it moist.
while the turkey rests
Pan gravy from scratch
Make it or buy it?
Always make it. Jarred or packet gravy costs $2–4 and is mostly water, starch, salt and flavor enhancers. Homemade uses drippings you would otherwise throw away, plus a few tablespoons of flour, in about 15 minutes.
A little history. The word likely comes from a medieval French copying error. Old recipes called a spiced sauce grané. A scribe misread the n as a v, and gravé became our “gravy.”
The science. A roux is equal parts fat and flour cooked together. The fat coats each bit of flour, so the starch swells evenly instead of clumping when the stock goes in. Starch thickens as it nears a simmer, so gravy always looks thin until it bubbles. The neck stock adds gelatin, which gives gravy its glossy body.
Turkey Pan Gravy
You will need
- Neck, heart and gizzard from the turkey (save the liver; it makes gravy bitter)
- 1 onion, 1 carrot and 1 celery rib, roughly chopped, plus 6 cups water
- 4 tablespoons turkey fat from the drippings (top up with butter if short)
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Defatted pan drippings, 1 sprig each thyme and sage, salt and pepper
- Neck stock. On the morning of, brown the neck and giblets in a little oil. Add the vegetables and water and simmer gently while the turkey roasts. Strain.
- Separate. Pour the pan juices into a fat separator or measuring cup and let the fat rise for 5 minutes. Spoon off 4 tablespoons of fat.
- Deglaze. Set the roasting pan over two burners. Add 1 cup stock and scrape up every browned bit, then pour it into the stock.
- Roux. Heat the fat in a saucepan over medium. Whisk in the flour and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until it smells nutty.
- Thicken. Whisk in the warm stock 1 cup at a time, then the drippings and herbs. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes until it coats a spoon.
- Season. Remove the herbs and taste before adding salt. The drippings are already seasoned from the brine.
Gluten-free:Skip the roux. Whisk 3 tablespoons sweet rice flour or cornstarch into 3 tablespoons cold water and stir it into the simmering stock. Sweet rice flour reheats better.
Dairy-free:Use only turkey fat, no butter.
Fridge
- 1–2 days. It sets like jelly from the gelatin, which is a good sign.
- Reheat to a full boil with a splash of broth.
Freezer
- 2–3 months.
- Freeze in ice cube trays, then bag the cubes for small portions.
nothing wasted
Bone broth from the carcass
Make it or buy it?
Make it. Boxed broth runs about $3–5 a quart and organic bone broth $6–9. Homemade costs almost nothing: a carcass you already paid for, vegetable scraps and water. You spend 15 minutes; the stove does the rest. Boxed broth is fine in a pinch, but it rarely sets into a gel the way real bone broth does.
A little history. The first Paris “restaurants” in the 1760s were not dining rooms. A restaurant was a restorative broth, sold to people too delicate for a heavy meal, and the shops took the name of the dish.
The science. Bones, skin and joints are rich in collagen. Long, gentle heat breaks it down into gelatin, which is why good broth wobbles when cold. Start with cold water and keep it at a bare simmer. A hard boil churns the fat into the liquid and turns it cloudy.
Turkey Bone Broth
You will need
- 1 turkey carcass, plus wing tips, skin and the roasting pan vegetables
- 1 onion, halved with the skin on, and 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 2 carrots and 2 celery ribs, or 4 cups saved vegetable scraps
- 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon peppercorns and a few parsley and thyme stems
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional, for brightness)
- Cold water to cover, about 4 to 5 quarts
- Break it down. Pull off any remaining meat for leftovers. Break the carcass into pieces so it fits snugly in a stockpot.
- Cover. Add everything and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring slowly to a simmer.
- Skim. Spoon off the gray foam during the first 30 minutes.
- Simmer. Keep it at a lazy bubble for 6 to 12 hours, topping up with water if bones poke out. A pressure cooker does it in 2 hours.
- Strain and cool. Strain through a fine sieve. Cool quickly in a sink of ice water and refrigerate within 2 hours.
- Defat. Lift off the solid fat cap once chilled. Save it for roasting potatoes.
Leave out the salt.Unsalted broth can be reduced or used in any recipe. Season the final dish instead.
Fridge
- USDA’s conservative guidance is 1–2 days.
- Most cooks use it within 3–4 days, boiled before using.
Freezer
- 2–3 months in 2-cup jars with 1 inch of headspace.
- Pressure canned: best within 1 year.
Broth can only be canned in a pressure canner, never a water bath. At our elevation (under 1,000 feet), use 10 pounds on a weighted gauge: 20 minutes for pints and 25 for quarts.
the leftovers
A week of turkey, planned
Cooked turkey keeps three to four days in the fridge, so the leftover clock runs out on Monday, November 30. Eat some, then freeze the rest in 2-cup portions by Sunday night. Reheat everything to 165°F on the stovetop or in the oven.
| Day | The plan |
|---|---|
| Friday | Turkey hash for breakfast; turkey-cranberry sliders on leftover crescent rolls for lunch |
| Saturday | Simmer the carcass into broth all day; turkey congee or soup for dinner |
| Sunday | Bake a batch of pot hand pies: eat some, freeze the rest unbaked |
| Monday | Anything uneaten goes into the freezer |
leftovers you can hold
Turkey pot hand pies
Everything you love about pot pie, in a size you can hold. These freeze beautifully unbaked, so a Sunday afternoon of folding gives you lunches well into December.
Make it or buy it?
Make them. Frozen store pot pies cost $4–6 each with long ingredient lists. Hand pies use turkey and broth you already have, about an hour of work makes ten, and they freeze better than one big pie.
A little history. The Cornish pasty is the most famous hand pie. Tin miners carried them underground, and a common story says they held the thick crimped edge with dirty hands and threw it away afterward.
The science. Flaky crust depends on cold fat. In a hot oven, the bits of butter melt and release steam that puffs the layers apart. Warm filling melts that butter before the pies reach the oven, so always chill the filling first. A thick filling also will not boil out through the seams.
Turkey Pot Hand Pies
For the filling
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, 1 carrot and 1 celery rib, finely diced
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups turkey broth and ½ cup milk
- 2 cups finely chopped turkey and ½ cup peas or corn
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, salt and pepper
For the crust
- Pastry for a double-crust pie, or a batch of crescent roll dough
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- Cook the vegetables. Melt the butter and sauté the onion, carrot and celery until soft, about 8 minutes.
- Make it thick. Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in the broth and milk and simmer until very thick, then stir in the turkey, peas, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Chill. Spread the filling in a shallow dish and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Cut. Roll the dough about ⅛ inch thick and cut it into 4-by-5-inch rectangles.
- Fill. Spoon about ⅓ cup of filling onto half of the rectangles, leaving a ½-inch border. Brush the edges with water.
- Seal. Top with the remaining rectangles and press the edges with a fork. Press a pattern into the top if you like.
- Bake. Brush with egg wash and cut a small vent in each. Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden.
Gluten-free and dairy-free:Thicken with 3 tablespoons sweet rice flour, use olive oil and unsweetened oat milk, and wrap in your gluten-free crescent dough.
Make it a pot pie:Use 3 cups broth and 1 cup milk, pour into a 9-by-13 pan, top with crust and bake at 400°F for 30 to 35 minutes.
Fridge
- Baked hand pies: 3–4 days.
- Reheat at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes to recrisp the crust.
Freezer
- Unbaked: up to 3 months. Freeze on a tray, then bag them.
- Bake from frozen at 400°F for 30 to 35 minutes. No thawing needed.
more ways to use it
Four more leftover favorites
Turkey and wild rice soup
Sauté onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Add 8 cups broth and 1 cup wild rice blend and simmer 45 minutes, until the grains split open. Stir in 3 cups turkey and some kale.
Fridge 3–4 days. Freezer 2–3 months.
Enchiladas verdes
Broil tomatillos, onion, jalapeño and garlic, then blend with cilantro and lime. Roll turkey in warmed corn tortillas, cover with the salsa and cheese, and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.
Fridge 3–4 days. Freeze unbaked 2–3 months.
Turkey congee
Simmer 1 cup jasmine rice in 10 cups turkey broth with sliced ginger for 1½ hours, until silky. Stir in turkey and top with scallions and a soft egg.
Fridge 3–4 days. Freezer 2 months.
Turkey hash
Crisp diced leftover potatoes or sweet potatoes in a hot skillet. Press flat and leave them alone to brown, then add turkey and stuffing. Top with fried eggs.
Best fresh. Fridge 3 days.
all year long
Turkey beyond November
Turkey is lean and easy to buy in parts, and you do not have to wait for November to find it local. At the farmers market, Paicines Ranch sells pasture-raised ground turkey for $12, a 2 lb breast for $30, a 3 lb breast for $45 and 2 lb of legs for $22. Two pre-made turkey products are well worth making yourself.
Deli turkey
Brine a 3 lb boneless breast overnight in 4 cups water with 3 tablespoons kosher salt and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Season, roast at 325°F to 155°F, chill overnight and slice paper-thin. No phosphates, carrageenan or added sugar.
Fridge 3–4 days. Freezer 1–2 months.
Breakfast sausage
Mix 1 lb ground turkey with salt, sage, thyme, crushed fennel, pepper and a little maple syrup. Shape into 12 patties and cook to 165°F. Salt draws out a protein that binds the patties.
Raw: fridge 1–2 days, freezer 3–4 months.
Ground turkey
Grinding at home needs a grinder and very cold meat. Buy it and read the label: “ground turkey breast” is the leanest, while plain “ground turkey” includes dark meat and skin.
Bone-in turkey breast
A Thanksgiving roast on a weeknight. Dry brine it overnight, then roast at 400°F for 30 minutes and 325°F to 155–160°F, about 2 hours total.
at a glance
Storage cheat sheet
| Item | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Raw fresh turkey | 1–2 days; roast within 3 days of pickup | Up to 1 year |
| Roast turkey, off the bone | 3–4 days | 2–6 months |
| Pan gravy | 1–2 days | 2–3 months |
| Bone broth | 1–2 days; 3–4 if boiled before use | 2–3 months |
| Turkey pot hand pies | 3–4 days, baked | 3 months, unbaked |
| Soup, enchiladas, congee | 3–4 days | 2–3 months |
| Homemade deli turkey | 3–4 days | 1–2 months |
| Turkey sausage, raw | 1–2 days | 3–4 months |
Refrigerate all cooked food within 2 hours. When in doubt, throw it out.
one more turkey
A turkey for the bread basket
Not every turkey on our table is a bird. This loaf is shaped and scored to look like a roast turkey, then baked to a deep golden crust. It makes a centerpiece everyone can tear into.
A turkey is the one ingredient on the Thanksgiving table we cannot make from scratch. Everything that comes after it, from the gravy to the last hand pie in the freezer, is ours to make. Happy Thanksgiving from my kitchen to yours.
Chef DeborahArtisanal Academy
Sources: Paicines Ranch, Edible Monterey Bay, Root Down Farm, CCOF, Lookout Santa Cruz, Wisconsin Ag Connection. Storage times follow USDA guidance; canning times follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.