Executive Chef Marcus Woods of the iconic Sylvia's restaurant in Harlem, New York City, showcased the family’s time-honored techniques for creating the best roast turkey with southern gravy for Bon Appétit's "Made to Order" series. Executive Chef Marcus Woods, who is third-generation Sylvia's, explained that his grandmother Sylvia's philosophy was fundamental: "you have to cook with love". This means cooking "like you're cooking for your children" to achieve a perfect turkey that is "nice and golden brown on the outside juicy on the inside seasoned very well".
Executive Chef Marcus Woods made the complex process simple, advising home cooks to first select a bird that is "humanely raised" and has "space to live and grow," which can be identified by "very clean," unbruised skin. He prefers a slightly "older side" bird, such as the 12 to 14 lb. turkey he used, because it builds up "nice fat content which is going to help in the cooking process". He cautioned against the common mistake of rushing the thawing process with water, which leads to an uneven cook.
For seasoning, Executive Chef Marcus Woods utilizes a traditional dry brine, which is the method Sylvia’s has used for years, ensuring that the flavor is imparted "all the way to the interior of the bird" so that everyone, from the person getting the wing to the person getting the inner slice of the breast, "will get the same flavor". The "Sylvia's soulful house seasoning" blend includes garlic, black pepper, smoked paprika, and onion powder. Executive Chef Marcus Woods reserves salt (sodium) as the "last thing I add," wanting it to be a "flavor enhancer instead of your core of your flavor". His grandmother's most memorable lesson on seasoning was: "Season things like you're putting lotion on a baby," ensuring "every piece to get the proper attention that it deserves" without leaving any dry, open spaces. A crucial step is patting the bird dry, as a wet turkey will steam instead of roast; he recommends the home cook place it on a low shelf in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 24 hours to air dry. Dry skin is "super crucial" because when roasted, it becomes "super crispy and golden brown," providing flavor and depth through the "mayard reaction".
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How One of NYC's Best Soul Food Restaurants Makes Turkey & Gravy
Executive Chef Marcus Woods then prepared a bed of aromatics—including bell peppers, red onion for "added sweetness," and celery (part of the "holy trinity")—in a traditional, high-sided roasting pan to collect the essential pan juices for basting. He stressed the importance of utilizing the "goodie bag"—the giblets (turkey necks, livers, tails, and hearts)—calling them the "essence of turkey" and insisting they should "not throw this in the garbage". These giblets and the vegetables are simmered overnight to create the stock needed for the gravy.
After the 24-hour drying period, Executive Chef Marcus Woods applied a compound butter—mixed with rosemary, thyme, garlic, and the same seasonings—generously on the outside, inside, and "under the skin" to penetrate flavor and moisture, taking care not to break the skin. The bird was then "trussed" using butcher's twine to ensure even cooking and protect the cavity.
Executive Chef Marcus Woods advised against stuffing the bird, recommending the stuffing be cooked separately, as the turkey must reach a safe internal temperature of 165°. The cooking plan involves two hours covered at 350°, followed by uncovering and cranking the oven up to 375° for the final hour of roasting. Basting with the pan juices should occur consistently, every 15 to 30 minutes during this final hour, but Executive Chef Marcus Woods warned against basting too early, as "your skin will never get crispy". Once the turkey reaches 160° in the thickest part of the breast, it is pulled out to rest for 15 to 20 minutes (ideally 30 to 40 minutes), allowing the "carryover temperature" to reach the safe 165°.
While the turkey rests, the southern gravy is prepared, starting with a roux made of "equal parts flour equal parts fat". Executive Chef Marcus Woods revealed the "secret ingredient" at Sylvia's: using the oil from their fried chicken, which imparts a "nutty aromatic kind of smell" and "down home southern flavors" into the roux. The dark brown roux, cooked low and slow until it achieves the consistency of "wet sand," is then slowly incorporated into the turkey stock (about 10% roux to 90% stock). Executive Chef Marcus Woods concluded that following these "old recipes" means tasting history, noting that the final meal, served with collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and mashed potatoes, should "taste like a touch of the South" and "taste like love," feeding the "soul and feeding your spirit".
