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Thanksgiving: Classic Roast Turkey, with Gravy

Source of Recipe

From "How to Cook Everything: Thanksgiving" by Mark Bittman


Recipe Introduction

"The star of most holiday meals. A Thanksgiving-sized turkey is way too big to mess around with turning this way and that: For many of us, just getting a pan big enough to hold the thing is a challenge. So I roast the bird breast side up the whole time. And guess what? It works quite well, especially if you follow the high-heat method described here, which even results in moist breast meat. Just remember to leave enough time for the bird to defrost, cook, and rest (this is key) before serving. You can put some of the stuffing inside the breast cavity, or let the turkey roast on its own and bake the stuffing separately. Without the stuffing, the bird will roast a little faster; in fact, without the stuffing altogether (heresy I know, but you might consider it), this is as simple as roasting a chicken and might make you think about preparing turkey year-round. Leftovers, after all, make the best sandwiches."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ One 12-pound turkey
â—¦ My Favorite Bread Stuffing, or any variation, optional
â—¦ 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter at room temperature or a few tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
â—¦ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 cup roughly chopped onion
â—¦ 1 cup roughly chopped carrot
â—¦ ½ cup roughly chopped celery
â—¦ Stems from 1 bunch fresh parsley, tied together, optional
â—¦ Turkey Gravy


Recipe

Heat the oven to 500° F. Rinse the turkey and remove the giblets. Loosely pack the turkey cavity with the stuffing if you want to stuff the bird, then tie the legs together to enclose the vent. Smear the bird all over with butter or brush it with oil, then sprinkle well with salt and pepper.

Put the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan. Add ½ cup water to the bottom of the pan along with the turkey neck, gizzard, any other trimmings, and the vegetables and parsley. Put in the oven, legs first if possible.

Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top begins to brown, then turn the heat down to 350° F. Continue to roast, checking and basting with the pan juices every 30 minutes or so; if the top threatens to brown too much, lay a piece of aluminum foil directly onto it. (If the bottom dries out, add water, about ½ cup at a time; keep at least a little liquid in the bottom of the pan at all times.) The turkey is done when a quick-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh measures 155° to 165° F. If, when the turkey is nearly done, the top is not browned enough, turn the heat back up to 425° F for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking.

Remove the turkey from the oven.
Take the bird off the rack and make the gravy while the bird rests; let it sit for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour before carving (just the amount of time it will take to whip up the gravy), longer if you don't mind it at room temperature.

Makes at least 15 servings
(plus leftovers)



Turkey Gravy:

"Gravy" is little more than thickened stock—essentially a reduction sauce—and when that stock comes out of a roasted turkey, it's pretty good stuff. It's no wonder people love it. This makes 5 to 6 cups (enough for 12 servings), but double or triple (or quadruple, if it comes to that) as needed.

â—¦ 6 cups stock, preferably turkey but chicken is fine
â—¦ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 5 tablespoons butter, optional
â—¦ â…“ cup cornstarch, optional

Remove any giblets from the bottom of your roasting pan and pour or spoon off excess fat (this is a judgment call, but leave at least some fat in there). Leave as many of the solids and as much of the dark liquid behind as possible. Put the roasting pan over 2 burners and turn the heat to high.

Add the stock and cook, stirring and scraping all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, until the liquid has reduced by about one-quarter, 5 to 10 minutes. (If you're not using cornstarch and you want a thicker gravy, continue to reduce a little more). Turn the heat down to medium and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes, tasting and adjusting the seasoning. Strain the liquid into a saucepan, discarding the solids.

Over medium heat, stir in the butter if you're using it and keep warm until ready to serve. If you're using cornstarch, mix it with ¼ cup cold water, then add to the simmering gravy, stirring constantly. It should thicken almost immediately; serve hot.