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Apricot-Glazed Turkey with Roasted Onion & Shallot Gravy

Source of Recipe

chef2chef.com


List of Ingredients

Glaze
1 cup apricot nectar
1 cup apricot preserves
2 tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tbsp. honey

Herb Butter
3/4 cup unsalted butter; room temperature (1-1/2 sticks)
3 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon; dried
3 tbsp. chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon; dried rubbed sage
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Onion and Shallot mixture
2 tbsp. unsalted butter; (1/4 stick)
3 lg. onions; (about 2 pounds), thinly sliced
6 oz shallots; (about 6 large), thinly sliced
1 turkey (21- to 22-pound)
1 can low-salt chicken broth; (14 -1/2-ounce) or more
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon; dried
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon; dried
1 can low-salt chicken broth; (14 -1/2-ounce)


Recipe

-For the Glaze:
Combine all ingredients in a heavy small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened and reduced to 1-1/4 cups, about 15-20 minutes.

For Herb Butter:
Blend all ingredients in small bowl. Set aside.

For Onion Mixture:
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and shallots and saute until very soft and light brown, about 20 minutes.

NOTE: Glaze, herb butter and onion mixture can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill. Bring herb butter to room temperature before continuing.
---------------------------------

For Turkey:
Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat the oven to 400 F. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Season turkey cavity with salt and pepper.

Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Slide hand under the skin of the turkey breast to loosen. Spread half of herb butter over breasts under the skin.

If stuffing turkey, spoon your stuffing into the main cavity. Place remaining herb butter in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted. Brush butter over outside of turkey. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey.

Roast turkey 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 F. Roast turkey 1 hour 30 minutes, basting occasionally with pan drippings.

Tent turkey with heavy-duty foil; roast 45 minutes longer. Add onion mixture, 1 can broth, thyme and sage to the roasting pan. Roast 15 minutes.

Bring the glaze to a simmer. Remove foil. Brush a 1/2 cup of the glaze over the turkey. Continue to roast turkey uncovered, until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170 F., or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with skewer.

Brush occasionally with glaze and add more broth to pan if liquid evaporates.

About 40 minutes longer for an un-stuffed turkey or about 1 hour 10 minutes longer for stuffed turkey. Place turkey on platter, tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes to rest. Reserve mixture in pan for gravy.

For Gravy: Pour contents of roasting pan into strainer set over large bowl. Spoon fat from pan juices in bowl. Transfer onion mixture in strainer to blender.

Add 1 cup pan juices to blender and purée until smooth, adding more pan juices and chicken broth if necessary to thin sauce to desired consistency.

Transfer the sauce to heavy large saucepan and bring to boil. Cook until color deepens, skimming off any foam, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve turkey with gravy.

Serves 16.