Perfect Turkey and Gravy

My favorite method for roasting turkey. I have had way better success with this method than when roasting it whole.  Plus it is much easier to carve when you're ready to serve. (BONUS!) I was lucky enough to find a 10 pounder when I went to the store, which is really all my husband and myself can handle. I'm going to try to be as detailed as I can with the process of breaking it down as I know this might be the first time for some people.
First of all, you're going to need a strong knife. You won't be able to do this without a knife you're comfortable with.
Step 1
Remove outer half of wing by slicing through at the joint. Remove neck and gizzards. Reserve neck and wings.
Step 2
To remove the leg and thigh, hold the leg and slice the skin through to the bottom of the bird. Stay close to the leg as you work your way down.














Step 3
When you can see the inside of the leg and thigh, grab the thigh and pop the joint connecting it to the back. Slice in the middle of the joint, it will be easy to tell where to cut to remove the thigh/leg.














Step 4
Holding the rest of the carcass upright, you will be able to see where the rib bones connect to the back (I feel a song coming on...) slice down to the bottom, separating the breasts from the spine.














Step 5
Remove breasts completely by slicing wing joint from the back, leaving the wing attached to the breast. I like to leave the "drumstick" part of the wing in tact because it makes for a nice handle when carving. Reserve back with other leftover carcass parts.














Step 6
Place breasts meat side down. Locating the middle of the breast, chop breast in half. This is going to take a little bit of force, be careful if you've never done it before!














Voila! It took some effort but it will be well worth it!
















In a food processor, combine:
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons dry thyme
5 medium garlic cloves
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
The zest of 1 whole lemon
Pulse until well combined. Rub all over turkey parts and under the skin.
Place turkey in a roasting pan without a rack and roast at 400 degrees for:
(Purchased Weight)
10 lbs: 1 hour 5 minutes
15 lbs: 1 hour 20 minutes
20 lbs: 1 hour 45 minutes
For the gravy:
Place turkey carcass in a stock pot and cover with 6 cups of water. Add:
2 teaspoons dry oregano
2 teaspoons dry thyme
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
Simmer on medium-low the entire time the turkey is roasting. Strain when you take the turkey out of the oven. The liquid should have reduced to about 3 cups.
Rest turkey on a cutting board while you prepare the gravy. Scrape the brown bits off of the pan with a metal or wooden spoon. Add to turkey stock. This gives the gravy tremendous flavor, do not skip this step.  Dissolve 2 tablespoons corn starch and 2 tablespoons all purpose flour into 1/2 cup water.  Whisk into gravy and heat until thickened.
Once turkey has rested for at least 10-15 minutes, carve and serve.
Please comment if you need more/any clarifications. Happy Turkey Day!