Thanksgiving part 2 - The turkey

So in addition to the turkey breast, we also had a 12 pound turkey. For the lovely turkey, I made a roasted shallot/garlic/thyme rub to put under the turkey skin. I roasted a half pound of shallots, about 6 garlic cloves, and several sprigs of thyme in a 375 deg. oven for an hour. I then pureed them with about a stick of butter and smeared it all under the breast skin and inside the turkey cavity. The turkey was stuffed (I live dangerously) and placed on a rack in a large roasting pan, hovering over 2 onions, quartered (skins on), several cloves of garlic, and sprigs of thyme, marjoram, rosemary, and sage. I liberally buttered the entire bird as well. I poured in about a cup of chicken stock and a hefty splash of Chardonnay and roasted it for about 3 3/4 hours at 325 degrees. I added new butter from time to time as it roasted. It was quite tasty, although, compared to the brined breast, wasn't quite as lovely. But the shallot rub did keep it moister than usual. And the gravy, more later, was ambrosial.