It's turkey time! Tackling the holidays with a new celiac disease diagnosis or gluten-intolerance can feel daunting.
Thankfully, turkey and gravy are easily made gluten-free. Your Thanksgiving guests will love this juicy turkey that's full of rosemary flavor and tender on the inside with crispy skin on the outside. No one will even know the gluten-is missing!
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Gluten-Free Turkey Brands
While most turkeys are gluten-free, there is the possibility that a brine, marinade, or injection in your turkey could contain gluten.
Celiac.com has a list of gluten-free turkeys.
I personally have used Butterball turkeys for nearly a decade of hosting gluten-free Thanksgiving dinners.
Butterball frozen turkeys are easy to find on sale leading up to Thanksgiving. Butterball states "our Butterball fresh and frozen raw unstuffed turkeys are always gluten-free, and our gravy pack included with our Butterball Whole and Boneless Breast items is also gluten-free."
Roasting in an Oven Bag
This turkey recipe calls for roasting your Thanksgiving turkey in an oven bag. It is a game changer.
Using an oven bag is a time and effort saver! Easy prep, easy cleanup, and easy everything in between. No dry turkey. No basting is necessary. Once the turkey is prepped and in the bag, you don't touch it until 15 minutes before the turkey is done (for crispy skin).
The turkey comes out exceptionally tender and roasts quickly in the bag. Even a 24 lb turkey will be done in about 3½ hours. And a 10 lb turkey is ready in as little as 1½ hours!
The oven bag has the added benefit of protecting the turkey from cross-contact with gluten-containing side dishes in a shared kitchen. This is especially helpful during busy holiday meal prep.
Turkey Size and Cook Times
The general rule of thumb is 1-1½ pounds of turkey per guest. I like to lean towards the upper end of that scale. My family likes leftovers.
Cook times are quick in an oven bag:
- 10-12 lb turkey: 1½-2 hours
- 12-16 lb turkey: 2-2¼ hours
- 16-20 lb turkey: 2¼-2½ hours
- 20-24 lb turkey: 2½-3 hours
Always verify that the turkey is done with a meat thermometer. The turkey is done when the meat thermometer reads at least 165°F in several places not touching the bone.
Gluten-Free Gravy
The gluten-free turkey gravy is made from the flavorful pan drippings of the rosemary roast turkey.
Instead of traditional flour-thickened gravy, this gravy is thickened with cornstarch. You won't miss the gluten. Cornstarch is commonly used to thicken sauces in restaurants around the country.
Be sure to use gluten-free chicken broth. I use Pacific Foods Chicken Broth, which is labeled gluten-free
Leftovers
What to do with all that leftover turkey?
Store leftover turkey and gravy in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or freezer for up to 3-4 months.
Better yet, try this Gluten-Free Turkey Pot Pie (an Easy 1-Skillet Recipe). It features a delicious white wine sauce and is the best way to use leftover turkey, leftover veggies, and even leftover pie dough!
More Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes:
- Air Fryer Turkey Tenderloin: Perfect for a cozy Thanksgiving for up to four people, or when you are bringing your own gluten-free meal to a holiday dinner party.
- Pumpkin Pie Recipe with Homemade Gluten-Free Pie Crust or Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars for dessert.
- Gluten-Free Honey Cornbread Recipe: Sweet & Fluffy!
- Slow Cooker, Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipe: This fabulous homemade stuffing cooks in your Crockpot, saving precious oven space.
Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Guide
If this is your first time celebrating Thanksgiving on a gluten-free diet, you've got this! I promise it gets easier. Read my complete Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Dinner Guide for holiday tips and more amazing recipes for your Thanksgiving table.
Plus, get your free-printable Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Planner!
Wishing You a Healthy & Happy Thanksgiving!
Gluten-Free Rosemary Roasted Turkey & Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- Turkey
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour
- 3 fresh rosemary sprigs + 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 stalks of celery
- 1 medium sliced onion
- Non-stick cooking spray (Original Pam has no gluten-ingredients. Do not use Pam Baking Spray, which contains flour.)
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Rosemary Turkey Gravy
- ¼ cup turkey drippings fat & juices from turkey
- 1½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 cups turkey juices and gluten-free broth (supplement turkey juices with gluten-free chicken broth to reach 2 cups)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven temperature to 350°F.
- Add gluten-free flour, fresh rosemary sprigs, celery stalks, and sliced onion to oven bag. Spray inside of bag with gluten-free non-stick cooking spray.
- Brush thawed turkey with olive oil, finely chopped fresh rosemary, salt, dried sage, garlic powder, and pepper. Place the turkey on top of vegetables and rosemary in bag.
- Close bag with tie; cut six ½-inch slits in top of bag. Place in a roasting pan and cook turkey at 350°F according to the cooking time chart in the notes below.
- For brown, crispy skin, cut open the top of the oven bag 15 minutes before the end of the estimated cooking time (see notes below).
- The turkey is done when the meat thermometer reads at least 165°F in several places not touching the bone. Always check doneness with a meat thermometer.
- Let turkey rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.
Rosemary Turkey Gravy
- While the turkey is resting, add turkey drippings to a medium saucepan. Using a flour sifter or mesh sieve, sift cornstarch over drippings, to prevent clumping.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
- Whisk in liquid and heat to boiling. Whisk constantly and boil for 1 minute.
- Whisk in salt and pepper. Serve with rosemary turkey.
Notes
- 10-12 lb turkey: 1½-2 hours
- 12-16 lb turkey: 2-2¼ hours
- 16-20 lb turkey: 2¼-2½ hours
- 20-24 lb turkey: 2½-3 hours
