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Thanksgiving: Two-Hour Turkey and Gravy

Source of Recipe

"The Complete Autumn and Winter Cookbook" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"Cooking a whole turkey has never been this quick or easy. Our method requires less than 2 hours of roasting, and we use the resting time to mix up a flavorful gravy from the drippings. Cutting a slit between the turkey thighs and breast exposed more of the dark meat so it cooked at the same rate as the white meat. Starting in a hot 450-degree oven browned the skin; reducing the temperature to 250 degrees partway through ensured moist, tender meat. Roasting vegetables under the turkey created a base for an easy but richly flavored gravy. If you can't find a self-basting turkey, a kosher turkey can be substituted. Avoid opening the oven too frequently to take the turkey's temperature. If your turkey is on the lower end of the weight range, follow the lower end of the time ranges given, and vice versa."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 onions, quartered through root end
â—¦ 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
â—¦ 1 celery rib, cut into 3-inch pieces
â—¦ 1 12- to 14-pound self-basting turkey, neck reserved, giblets discarded
â—¦ 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
â—¦ 2 teaspoons pepper, divided
â—¦ 3 cups water, plus extra as needed
â—¦ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
â—¦ ¼ cup dry white wine
â—¦ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 4 sprigs fresh thyme
â—¦ 1 sprig fresh sage


Recipe

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Scatter onions, carrots, celery, and turkey neck in large roasting pan. Set V-rack over vegetables and turkey neck in pan. Pat turkey dry with paper towels and tuck wing tips behind back. Transfer turkey, breast side up, to V-rack. Using sharp knife, slice through skin between breast and leg on each side of turkey to expose entire underside of thigh, without cutting into meat. Combine oil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 ½ teaspoons pepper in small bowl. Brush turkey all over with oil mixture.

Roast turkey until thickest part of breast registers 120 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers at least 135 degrees, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees and continue to roast turkey until breast registers 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer turkey to carving board and let rest for 45 minutes. While turkey rests, transfer vegetables and turkey neck to bowl, leaving turkey juices in pan. Add water to pan with turkey juices and scrape up any browned bits from pan bottom. Transfer deglazed juices to 4-cup liquid measuring cup; add extra water as needed to equal 4 cups.

Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and turkey neck and cook until any liquid has evaporated and browned bits begin to form on bottom of pot, 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine and cook until nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.

Sprinkle flour over top and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add thyme sprigs, sage sprig, deglazed pan juices, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened to gravy consistency, 12 to 15 minutes. Strain gravy through fine-mesh strainer set over medium saucepan; discard solids. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Carve turkey and serve with gravy.

Serves 10 to 12