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1
Rub the surface of the turkey and sprinkle cavity with salt and pepper.
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2
Place 12 sprigs of thyme in cavity.
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3
In a large heavy roasting pan, place onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, peppercorns and remaining thyme sprigs.
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4
Place the turkey, breast side up, over the vegetables.
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5
Drizzle butter over turkey and sprinkle with minced herbs.
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6
Cover loosely with foil.
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7
Bake at 325*F for 2 1/2 hours.
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8
Remove foil; bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer, basting every 20 minutes.
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9
Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving.
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10
For gravy, add a couple of cups of stock to vegetables in pan and heat to deglaze.
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11
Strain into a saucepan and thicken with some flour and water.
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12
(I put some cold water into a jar, add a few TBS of flour, screw the lid on and shake it til it is well mixed. Then I strain it thru a tea strainer to keep any lumps of flour out).
