This roast turkey recipe is easy enough for a beginner. The biggest myth in American cookery is the belief that a juicy, perfectly cooked turkey is difficult for the novice cook to achieve. One of the secrets to a moist, delicious, and beautiful turkey is spreading butter under the skin. You can season the butter any way you want. The possibilities are endless.
Ingredients
Stock
- 6 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
Gravy
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon balsamic vinegar (Optional)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets reserved
- 2 onions, coarsely chopped
- 3 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
- 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
- ½ bunch fresh sage
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 8 tablespoons butter, softened
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Step 2
Mix together kosher salt, black pepper, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Tuck turkey wings under bird and season the cavity with about 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining poultry seasoning mixture.
Step 3
Toss together onions, celery, and carrots in a large bowl. Stuff about 1/2 cup vegetable mixture, sage, and rosemary sprigs into the turkey cavity. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Use your fingers or a small spatula to loosen skin over turkey breast. Place about 2 tablespoons butter under skin and spread evenly. Spread remaining 6 tablespoons butter all over the outside of skin. Sprinkle turkey with remaining poultry seasoning mix.
Step 4
Spread remaining vegetable mixture into a large roasting pan. Place turkey on top of vegetables. Fill the pan with about 1/2 inch of water. Shape a sheet of aluminum foil over breast of turkey.
Step 5
Roast turkey in the preheated oven until no longer pink near the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Remove the foil during the last hour of cooking and baste turkey with pan juices.
Step 6
While turkey is roasting, make stock: Place neck and giblets in a medium saucepan with water and bay leaf. Simmer over medium heat for 2 hours. Strain stock and discard neck and giblets. There should be at least 4 cups of stock. Set stock aside.
Step 7
Remove turkey from the oven. Carefully pour pan juices, about 3 cups, into a shallow bowl. Skim off turkey fat from pan juices, reserving about 2 tablespoons fat. Set aside pan juices. Cover turkey with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Step 8
While turkey is resting, make gravy: Heat 2 tablespoons reserved turkey fat and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer onion from the roasting pan into the skillet. Cook and stir until onion is browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour; cook and stir for about 5 minutes more. Whisk in 4 cups stock and reserved pan juices until smooth; skim off any foam. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Simmer, whisking constantly, until gravy is thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in sage; season with salt and black pepper.
Chef’s Note:
For a thicker gravy, reserve twice the amount of turkey fat and double the butter and flour in the gravy ingredients.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings Per Recipe 16 | |
Calories 942 | |
% Daily Value * | |
Total Fat70g | 90% |
Saturated Fat23g | 114% |
Cholesterol256mg | 85% |
Sodium950mg | 41% |
Total Carbohydrate5g | 2% |
Dietary Fiber1g | 3% |
Total Sugars1g | |
Protein69g | |
Vitamin C2mg | 11% |
Calcium89mg | 7% |
Iron5mg | 26% |
Potassium774mg | 16% |
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
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