Pimentón & Fennel Roast Turkey with Onion Gravy

Make the paprika-fennel butter:

Put the butter in a small bowl. Add the fennel seeds, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper, and mix until well blended. Set aside at room temperature (refrigerate if making ahead).

Prepare the turkey:

Position a rack in the lowest part of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Brush a large flameproof roasting pan lightly with 1 Tbs. of the melted butter. Make a bed of the onions in the center of the pan.

Trim off the wing tips at the first joint and, if already loose, trim the tail from the turkey. Remove the giblets (discard the liver) and neck and set them aside with the wing tips and tail for making the broth. Rinse the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels.

Set the turkey on a work surface and loosen the skin over the breasts by sliding your hands under the skin. Rub all of the paprika-fennel butter under the skin, smearing it over the breast. Brush the turkey skin all over with the remaining 3 Tbs. melted butter. Sprinkle 2 Tbs. of the fennel salt all over the skin of the turkey (sprinkle a little inside the cavity, too). Place the garlic cloves, lemon zest, and thyme sprigs inside the cavity. If you like, tuck the legs into the tail flap (or tie them together loosely if there is no flap).

Set the turkey, breast side up, on top of the onions in the roasting pan (there is no need for a rack). Roast for 1 hour and then baste the turkey with the drippings that have collected in the pan and rotate the pan. Continue to roast, basting every 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of both thighs reads 170°F, 1-1/2 to 2 hours more. (If the turkey is browning too much, tent it with foil.) Set the turkey on a large platter to rest, tented with foil, for about 20 minutes while you make the gravy.

Make the gravy:

Set the roasting pan with the onions and juices over medium-high heat (it may need to straddle two burners, depending on your stove). With a wooden spoon, stir up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and continue stirring for a few minutes, allowing the onions to brown a little more. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the onions and juices and stir until the flour is well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Start adding the broth, 1 ladleful at a time, whisking out the lumps before you add more broth. Continue to add broth gradually, whisking each time until smooth, until you’ve added about 4-1/2 cups of broth. Add any juices that have collected on the platter around the turkey. Lower the heat to medium or medium low and gently simmer the gravy, whisking occasionally, until it’s full-flavored and thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. If it seems too thick, add the remaining 1/2 cup broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve, then transfer to a gravy boat.

Carve the turkey. Pass the gravy boat and the remaining fennel salt at the table.