Turkey: Turkey 101
Source of Recipe
Martha Stewart
List of Ingredients
1 (20 to 21 pound) fresh whole turkey, giblets and neck removed from cavity and reserved
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), melted, plus 4 tablespoons at room temperature
3 1/2 cups dry white wine, plus 1 cup for gravy (optional)
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Classic Stuffing, recipe follows
Giblet Stock, recipe followsRecipe
Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F with a rack on the bottom. Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut into a 17-inch, 4 layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; using an instant-read thermometer later will give a more accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity with as much stuffing as it will hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish at 375 degrees F). Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under and secure with toothpicks.
Rub turkey with the softened butter and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Lift cheesecloth out of liquid and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp; reserve remaining liquid. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter-and-wine mixture.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy. After the third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use the butter-and-wine mixture. The skin will get fragile as it browns, so baste carefully.
Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes. After the fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, avoiding any bones. The temperature should reach 180 degrees (stuffing should be between 140 degrees and 160 degrees) and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes. When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter and let rest for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make gravy. Pour all of the pan juices into a glass measuring cup. Let stand until fat rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off.
Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup dry white (or red) wine, or water, to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan. Add giblet stock to pan. Stir well and bring back to the boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the defatted pan juices and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more. You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy. Season, to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.
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Classic Stuffing
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 onions (2 pounds), cut into 1/4-inch dice
16 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice
10 large fresh sage leaves, chopped, or 2 teaspoons crushed dried sage
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
6 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth, skimmed of fat (recipe follows)
2 loaves stale white bread (about 36 slices), crust on, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped (about 3 cups)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and celery and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add sage, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup stock and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes, until liquid has reduced by half. Transfer onion mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add bread cubes, parsley, eggs, and remaining 5 1/2 cups stock; mix to combine.
Yield: 12 cups
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Giblet Stock
Giblets, heart, gizzard, liver and neck reserved from turkey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 celery stalk with leaves, stalk cut into 1/4-inch dice, leaves roughly chopped
1 small leek, white and pale green parts well washed and cut into 1/4-inch dice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
Trim any fat or membrane from giblets. The liver should not have the gallbladder, a small green sac, attached. If it is, trim it off carefully, removing part of the liver if necessary. Do not pierce the sac; the liquid it contains is very bitter. Rinse giblets and neck and pat dry. In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add chopped onions, celery and leaves, and leek.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook another 5 minutes. Add 4 cups water, bay leaf, gizzard, heart, and neck (do not add liver; it needs to be cooked separately or it makes the stock bitter). Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook for 45 minutes, or until gizzard is tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
Meanwhile, chop the liver finely. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add liver and cook, stirring constantly, 4 to 6 minutes, until liver no longer releases any blood and is fully cooked. Set aside. After the 45 minutes of simmering, the liquid should reduce to about 2 1/2 cups. If it has not, increase the heat and cook another 10 to 15 minutes. Strain broth. Chop gizzard and heart very fine and add to strained broth along with chopped liver. Pick meat off neck and add to broth. Set broth aside until needed for gravy.
Yield: about 2 cups
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