Roast Turkey with Herb Butter and Caramelized-Onion Gravy by Rochelle Palermo Torres

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1/2 cup butter
2. 4 large onions, thinly sliced
3. 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
4. 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
5. 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6. 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
7. 3 tablespoons honey
8. 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
9. 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
10. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
11. 21 pounds turkey; neck, heart, and gizzard reserved
12. 1 large onion, quartered
13. 4 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
14. 2 large fresh rosemary sprigs
15. 2 large fresh thyme sprigs
16. 1 bay leaf
17. 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

COOKING DIRECTIONS:

1. For gravy base: Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until deep brown, about 40 minutes. Mix in rosemary and thyme, then flour; stir 1 minute. Add vinegar and honey; simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
2. For turkey: Mix butter and herbs in small bowl. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Place on rack set in large roasting pan. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Starting at neck end, slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin. Spread 1/4 cup herb butter over breast meat under skin. Rub remaining butter over outside of turkey. Place turkey parts and onion quarters in pan around turkey. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
3. Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing loosely into main cavity and neck cavity. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Roast turkey uncovered 1 hour. Tent turkey breast and tops of drumsticks loosely with foil; roast 1 hour longer. Add 1 cup broth, herb sprigs, and bay leaf to drippings in pan. Continue to roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175 degrees F, basting with 3/4 cup broth and pan juices every 30 minutes, about 2 hours 30 minutes longer for unstuffed and 3 hours longer for stuffed. Transfer turkey to platter; let stand 30 minutes (internal temperature will increase 5 to 10 degrees).
4. Strain pan juices into 8-cup measuring cup; spoon fat off top. Heat gravy base over medium heat. Whisk in flour, then pan juices. Boil until gravy is reduced to 7 cups, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve turkey with gravy.

Yield: 14 servings

NUTRITION INFO Per Serving:

• Calories: 1181 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 12 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Fat: 60 g
• Protein: 139 g
• Sugars: 8 g

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY by Martha Stewart

If your roasting pan only fits sideways in the oven, turn the pan every hour so the turkey cooks and browns evenly. For step-by-step photos, see our Roast Turkey and Gravy feature.

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 (20 pound) fresh whole turkey giblets and neck removed from cavity and reserved
2. 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter melted, plus
3. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
4. 1 (750 milliliter) bottle dry white wine
5. 2 teaspoons salt
6. 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
7. Classic Stuffing
8. 1 cup dry red or white wine for gravy (optional)
9. Giblet Stock

COOKING DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
2. Place rack on lowest level in oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, four-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
3. 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; an instant-read thermometer is a much more accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity and neck cavity loosely with as much stuffing as they hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.) 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.
4. Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. 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. 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.
5. After this 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 butter and wine. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
6. After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 180 degrees F (stuffing should be between 140 degrees and 160 degrees F) 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.
7. When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup. Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup dry red or white 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 a 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.

Yield: 14 servings

NUTRITION INFO Per Serving:

• Calories: 1276 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 7 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0 g
• Fat: 71 g
• Protein: 132 g
• Sugars: 1 g

Roast Turkey with Apples, Onions, Fried Sage Leaves, and Apple Cider Gravy by epicurious.com

Lady apples - small, hard winter apple that is yellow with a reddish cheek - are often used decoratively but we love them for their flavor. Their widely available in markets this time of year. Said to be one of the oldest known apple varieties, they originated in the Forest of Api, France, during medieval times.

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2. Neck and giblets (excluding liver) from turkey
3. 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
4. 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
5. 1 onion, quartered
6. 4 cups water
7. 2 cups chicken broth
8. 1 bay leaf
9. 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
10. 1 (12 pound) turkey (preferably kosher), feathers removed if necessary and neck and giblets (excluding liver) reserved for making stock
11. 1 pound pearl onions (preferably red)
12. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
13. 2 pounds (2-inch) Lady apples
14. Pan juices from roast turkey
15. 1 cup apple cider
16. 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
17. 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
18. Fried sage leaves

COOKING DIRECTIONS:

1. Turkey giblet stock: Heat oil in a 3-quart saucepan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown neck and giblets. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until reduced to about 4 cups, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Pour stock through a fine sieve into a bowl. Skim off and discard any fat.
2. Roast turkey: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
3. Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper inside and out. Fold neck skin under body and secure with a small skewer. Tie drumsticks together with kitchen string and secure wings to body with small skewers.
4. Put turkey on a rack set in a large flameproof roasting pan. Roast turkey in middle of oven 30 minutes.
5. While turkey is roasting, blanch onions in boiling water 1 minute and rinse under cold water. Peel onions, then toss with 1 tablespoon melted butter and salt and pepper to taste. Toss apples with 1 tablespoon melted butter and salt and pepper to taste in another bowl.
6. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. Brush remaining 1/4 cup melted butter over turkey and roast 30 minutes more.
7. Baste turkey and scatter onions around it, then roast 30 minutes more.
8. Baste turkey and add apples to roasting pan. Roast another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until a thermometer inserted into fleshy part of a thigh registers 180 degrees F.
9. Transfer turkey, onions, and apples to a heated platter, leaving juices in pan. Remove skewers and discard string. Let turkey stand at least 30 minutes, up to 45.
10. Make gravy while turkey stands: Skim fat from pan juices and reserve 1/4 cup fat. Pour pan juices into a 2-quart glass measure and add enough turkey giblet stock to make 4 1/2 cups total. Set pan to straddle 2 burners. Add 1 cup stock mixture and deglaze by boiling over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Add remaining 3 1/2 cups stock mixture, cider, and vinegar and bring to a simmer. Transfer to glass measure.
11. Whisk together reserved fat and flour in a large heavy saucepan and cook roux over moderately low heat, whisking, 3 minutes. Add hot stock mixture in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
12. Stir in any additional turkey juices from platter and season gravy with salt and pepper. Pour gravy through a fine sieve into a gravy boat.

Yield: 8 servings

NUTRITION INFO per serving:

• Calories: 1376 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 35 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Fat: 71 g
• Protein: 139 g
• Sugars: 20 g

Notes:

Cooks' notes

Giblet stock can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely, uncovered, then chill, covered.

Onions can be blanched and peeled 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

We recommend making the turkey giblet stock and fried sage leaves ahead, though they can be prepared while the turkey is in the oven.

Roast Turkey with Oranges, Bay Leaves, Red Onions, and Pan Gravy by Epicurious.com

We think all turkeys are improved by brining (soaking in salted water), but it's a cumbersome process that few holiday schedules can accommodate. We found kosher turkeys, which are salted during the koshering process, to be just as flavorful and succulent as brined ones, without all the fuss. However, if you'd like to try brining, just stir together 8 quarts water with 2 cups kosher salt in a 5-gallon bucket lined with a large heavy-duty garbage bag, and soak turkey, covered and chilled, 10 hours. If you don't have room in your refrigerator, executive editor John Willoughby recommends brining in a large plastic cooler, using freezer packs to keep the water cool and replacing them as needed.

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 (12 pound) turkey (preferably kosher), any quills removed if necessary and neck and giblets (excluding liver) reserved for making stock
2. 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4. 2 navel oranges, each cut into 8 wedges
5. 3 small red onions, each cut into 8 wedges
6. 5 bay leaves (not California)
7. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8. Pan juices from roast turkey
9. 4 cups turkey stock
10. 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
11. 4 roasted onions, each cut into 8 wedges (optional)
12. Fresh bay leaves (do not eat)

COOKING DIRECTIONS:

1. Roast turkey: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Sprinkle turkey inside and out with salt and pepper, then fold neck skin under body and secure with small skewer. Stuff large cavity with oranges, 1 onion, and bay leaves. Tie drumsticks together with kitchen string and secure wings to body with small skewers.
3. Put turkey on a rack set in a large flameproof roasting pan and roast in middle of oven 30 minutes.
4. While turkey is roasting, toss remaining 2 onions with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Brush remaining 1/4 cup butter over turkey and roast 30 minutes more. Baste turkey and scatter buttered onion wedges around it, then roast, basting turkey every 30 minutes (add a little water to pan if onions get too dark) until an instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170 degrees F, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more (total roasting time: 2 1/2 to 3 hours). Transfer turkey to a platter (do not clean roasting pan) and let stand 25 minutes (temperature will rise to 180 degrees F).
6. Make gravy: Transfer pan juices with onions to a 2-quart glass measure, then skim off and reserve 1/4 cup fat. Add enough turkey stock to pan juices to make 4 1/2 cups total. Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add 1 cup stock mixture and deglaze pan by boiling over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Add remaining stock mixture and bring to a simmer. Pour stock through a fine sieve back into glass measure and discard onions.
7. Whisk together reserved fat and flour in a large heavy saucepan and cook roux over moderately low heat, whisking, 3 minutes. Add hot stock mixture in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in any additional turkey juices accumulated on platter and season gravy with salt and pepper.
8. Serve turkey with gravy on the side.

Yield: 10 servings

NUTRITION INFO per serving

• Calories: 1040 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 17 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Fat: 55 g
• Protein: 112 g
• Sugars: 10 g

Porcini-Rubbed Turkey with Shiitake-Madeira Gravy by Epicurious.com

With its use of dried porch in the turkey rub and fresh shiitakes in the light gravy, this recipe from the late food writer Michael McLaughlin is a fine example of his signature style: deeply flavorful seasonal cooking. You can make the turkey stock for the gravy up to two days ahead.

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3. 14 pounds whole turkey; neck, heart, and gizzard reserved for stock
4. 4 cups low-salt chicken broth
5. 1 large onion, cut into 8 pieces
6. 4 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
7. 4 garlic cloves, peeled
8. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
9. 6 cups turkey stock
10. 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
11. 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
12. 1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced
13. 1/2 cup Madeira

COOKING DIRECTIONS:

1. For turkey: Grind dried porcini in processor until almost reduced to powder, with some larger bits remaining, about 4 minutes. Transfer to sieve. Shake powdered porcini into bowl; mix in 2 tablespoons butter. Reserve larger bits in sieve. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey on small rack set in large roasting pan. Rub porcini butter over outside of turkey; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring porcini bits and chicken broth to boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat; reserve for basting. (Turkey and porcini broth can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.)
2. Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing loosely into main cavity and neck cavity. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together loosely. Roast turkey 1 hour 15 minutes, covering loosely with foil if browning quickly. Toss onion, carrots, garlic, and oil in bowl to coat; scatter in pan around turkey. Baste with 1 cup porcini broth. Continue to roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175 degrees F, basting with 3/4 cup porcini broth and pan juices every 45 minutes, about 2 hours 30 minutes for unstuffed and 3 hours for stuffed. Transfer turkey to platter; let stand 30 minutes (internal temperature will increase 5 to 10 degrees).
3. For gravy: Place roasting pan over 2 burners. Add turkey stock and any remaining porcini broth and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Strain turkey broth into heavy large saucepan; spoon off fat.
4. Mix 4 tablespoons butter and flour in bowl to form paste. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms. Cover; cook until mushrooms release liquids, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add Madeira; boil until wine evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add mushroom mixture to turkey broth; bring to boil. Whisk in flour paste. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until gravy thickens, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve turkey with gravy.

Yield: 10 servings

Roast Turkey with Pomegranate Glaze by MARTHA STEWART

The pomegranate glaze makes for a beautiful, burnished bird. This turkey is delicious stuffed with Cornbread, Wild Mushroom, and Pecan Stuffing or Classic Stuffing. - Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 (12 pound) fresh turkey
2. 2 onions cut into wedges
3. 3 carrots peeled and cut into 6-inch lengths
4. 3 stalks celery cut into 6-inch lengths
5. 3 parsnips peeled and cut into 6-inch lengths
6. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
7. 4 pomegranates
8. 1 quart Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth skimmed of fat
9. 3 tablespoons red currant jelly
10. 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
11. 1/4 cup cognac

COOKING DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse turkey breast; pat dry. Rub breast with salt and pepper.
2. Arrange vegetables in a large, heavy roasting pan, making sure that the vegetables are more or less flat in the bottom of the pan.
3. Truss legs together with kitchen twine, if desired. Rub the bird with butter, and place on bed of vegetables in roasting pan.
4. Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, loosely cover bird with an aluminum-foil tent, if necessary, and continue roasting, basting every half hour with the juices in the pan.
5. Meanwhile, slice pomegranates in half crosswise. Using a hand-held wooden lemon reamer or manual juicer, collect the juice in a small bowl. Strain juice through a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Combine juice and 1 cup of the stock in a small saucepan. Cook over high heat until mixture is reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Stir in currant jelly. Set aside.
6. When a meat thermometer placed between breast and thigh reads 170 degrees, remove turkey from oven (the total cooking time to this point should be about 3 hours and 15 minutes). Discard aluminum-foil tent, and brush bird evenly and smoothly with pomegranate reduction. Lower temperature to 325 degrees, return bird to oven, and continue roasting for 5 minutes. Brush again with pomegranate reduction, and roast for 5 to 10 minutes more. Do not allow glaze to burn.
7. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and transfer to serving plate. Let turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving.
8. Remove vegetables from roasting pan with a slotted spoon, transfer to a food processor, and process until smooth.
9. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings in pan, reserving juices in a fat separator or Pyrex measuring cup; discard fat that rises to the top. Place pan over medium-low heat, and add flour, working it in with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth. Add 3 tablespoons of the pureed cooking vegetables to pan, and stir until smooth. (Remaining puree can be served as an additional side dish or discarded.)
10. Add cognac to pan, and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any particles on the bottom. Continue cooking slowly over medium-low heat. Stir constantly while adding degreased pan juices and the remaining 3 cups stock. Raise heat to medium high, and cook until the gravy thickens, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in a gravy boat alongside turkey.

Yield: 10 servings

Molasses-Brined Turkey with Gingersnap Gravy By EPICURIOUS.COM

Brining ensures moist, succulent meat, and this recipe from Bruce Aidells, chef and founder of Aidells Sausage Company, could not be easier or more low-tech. The special equipment required? Two 30-gallon plastic bags and one very large (16-quart) bowl that will fit in the fridge. You'll want to get started a day ahead, because the turkey is brined for 18 to 20 hours. Stuffing this turkey is not recommended; the brine remaining in the meat may soak into the stuffing during roasting. - EPICURIOUS.COM

INGREDIENTS:

1. 5 cups low-salt chicken broth
2. 2 medium carrots, chopped
3. 2 large celery stalks, chopped
4. 1 onion, halved
5. 2 small bay leaves
6. Neck, heart, and gizzard reserved from 18- to 20-pound turkey
7. 1 (18 pound) turkey
8. 7 quarts water
9. 2 cups coarse salt
10. 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
11. 1 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
12. 2 bunches fresh thyme
13. 1 bunch fresh sage
14. 2 quarts ice cubes
15. 2 large onions, halved
16. 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
17. 3 tablespoons olive oil
18. 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
19. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
20. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
21. 4 cups low-salt chicken broth
22. 1 cup finely chopped onion
23. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
24. 20 gingersnap cookies, coarsely crumbled
25. 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
26. 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
27. 1/4 cup whipping cream (optional)

COOKING DIRECTIONS:

1. For stock: Combine broth, carrots, celery, onion, and bay leaves in large saucepan. Add reserved neck, heart, and gizzard. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until stock is reduced to 3 1/4 cups, about 1 hour. Strain turkey stock into medium bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover stock and refrigerate.)
2. For brine and turkey: Line very large (about 16-quart) bowl with two 30-gallon plastic bags, one inside the other. Rinse turkey inside and out. Place turkey in plastic-lined bowl. Combine 7 quarts water, salt, sugar, molasses, 1 bunch thyme, and 1/2 bunch sage in large bowl or pot. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Mix in ice cubes. Pour brine over turkey in plastic bags. Gather tops of bags together, eliminating air space above brine; seal bags. Refrigerate turkey in brine 18 to 20 hours.
3. Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Remove turkey from brine. Drain very well; discard brine. Pat turkey dry inside and out. Place turkey on small rack set in large roasting pan. Fill main cavity with remaining 1 bunch thyme and 1/2 bunch sage, onions, and garlic. Stir oil, pepper, chopped thyme, and chopped sage in small bowl to form paste; smear all over outside of turkey. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together loosely to hold shape.
4. Roast turkey 1 hour, tenting loosely with foil if browning quickly. Turn pan around; roast turkey 30 minutes. Pour 1 cup broth over turkey; re-tent loosely with foil. Roast turkey, basting with 1 cup broth every 30 minutes until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175 degrees F, about 2 hours longer. Transfer turkey to platter. Remove vegetables and herbs from main cavity and discard. Spoon any juices from cavity into roasting pan. Let turkey stand 30 minutes (internal temperature will increase 5 to 10 degrees).
5. For gravy: Strain pan juices into bowl. Spoon off fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. Heat reserved 2 tablespoons turkey fat in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and thyme. Saute until onion browns, about 10 minutes. Add turkey stock, gingersnaps, 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Add 2 cups degreased pan juices and bring to boil, whisking to dissolve gingersnaps. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until gravy thickens, about 4 minutes. Season gravy to taste with salt and pepper, adding remaining tablespoon vinegar and cream, if desired.
6. Serve turkey with gravy.

Yield: 14 servings

Maple Roast Turkey with Riesling Gravy by Matha Stewart

"The pomegranate glaze makes for a beautiful, burnished bird. This turkey is delicious stuffed with Cornbread, Wild Mushroom, and Pecan Stuffing or Classic Stuffing." - Martha Stewart

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS
(12 pound) fresh turkey
2 onions cut into wedges
3 carrots peeled and cut into 6-inch lengths
3 stalks celery cut into 6-inch lengths
3 parsnips peeled and cut into 6-inch lengths
2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
4 pomegranates
1 quart Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium
chicken broth skimmed of fat
3 tablespoons red currant jelly
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cognac

COOKING DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse turkey breast; pat dry. Rub breast with salt and pepper.
2. Arrange vegetables in a large, heavy roasting pan, making sure that the vegetables are more or less flat in the bottom of the pan.
3. Truss legs together with kitchen twine, if desired. Rub the bird with butter, and place on bed of vegetables in roasting pan.
4. Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, loosely cover bird with an aluminum-foil tent, if necessary, and continue roasting, basting every half hour with the juices in the pan.
5. Meanwhile, slice pomegranates in half crosswise. Using a hand-held wooden lemon reamer or manual juicer, collect the juice in a small bowl. Strain juice through a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Combine juice and 1 cup of the stock in a small saucepan. Cook over high heat until mixture is reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Stir in currant jelly. Set aside.
6. When a meat thermometer placed between breast and thigh reads 170 degrees, remove turkey from oven (the total cooking time to this point should be about 3 hours and 15 minutes). Discard aluminum-foil tent, and brush bird evenly and smoothly with pomegranate reduction. Lower temperature to 325 degrees, return bird to oven, and continue roasting for 5 minutes. Brush again with pomegranate reduction, and roast for 5 to 10 minutes more. Do not allow glaze to burn.
7. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and transfer to serving plate. Let turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving.
8. Remove vegetables from roasting pan with a slotted spoon, transfer to a food processor, and process until smooth.
9. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings in pan, reserving juices in a fat separator or Pyrex measuring cup; discard fat that rises to the top. Place pan over medium-low heat, and add flour, working it in with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth. Add 3 tablespoons of the pureed cooking vegetables to pan, and stir until smooth. (Remaining puree can be served as an additional side dish or discarded.)
10. Add cognac to pan, and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any particles on the bottom. Continue cooking slowly over medium-low heat. Stir constantly while adding degreased pan juices and the remaining 3 cups stock. Raise heat to medium high, and cook until the gravy thickens, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in a gravy boat alongside turkey.

Yield: 10 servings

HOW TO BARBECUE A TURKEY - Suggestion By Tonya Sandersfeld

Prepare the turkey. First of all, remove and discard the giblets and neck from the body cavity. These are the icky parts inside the bird, usually in a mesh sack. Thaw the turkey completely, preferably in the refrigerator for several days. Dry the turkey thoroughly, inside and out. Next, grasp a wing and twist it back so that it is folded over the neck. Repeat with the opposite wing. This will hold the neck skin in place. Tuck the legs underneath, if they aren't already. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the entire turkey with vegetable oil, to keep the skin from drying out and to hold in the juices. Now, your bird's ready for the grill!

Prepare the grill. If you have a charcoal grill, this means stacking charcoal briquettes along the left and right sides of your grill, dousing them with lighter fluid, lighting them and letting them heat until they look white and ashy. Do not put charcoal briquettes in the center of your grill. Since the turkey will be cooking for several hours, you want to use indirect heat. You will probably need to replenish your supply of briquettes periodically during cooking. Open the vents on your grill and leave them open through the duration of the turkey-cooking.

If you have a gas grill, turn the burners on one side to high, and let them burn for about ten minutes. Next, reduce the heat until the grill thermometer registers 350 degrees or so. Again, you want to use just one set of burners to avoid burning the bottom of the turkey while the top remains uncooked. Halfway through the cooking time, you'll want to turn your turkey around so that the other side receives an equal amount of heat.

To add a subtle flavor to your turkey, try scattering apple or hickory chips around the briquettes or burners on your grill. This adds a smoky accent to your bird. Keep an eye on your turkey while it cooks. You need to check for flare-ups. A flare-up occurs when fat drips onto the grate and causes a flame to shoot up. This can cause burned spots on your turkey. Flare-ups can be doused by a quick squirt from a spray bottle of water. The chance of a flare-up occurring can be reduced by placing a drip pan underneath your turkey. This will also collect any juices that drip from the turkey so that you can use them to make gravy later, if you like.

Cook that turkey! Carefully place your turkey on the grill, with the breast side (the smooth, rounded side) up. Tuck the legs back under, if necessary. Check to make sure that there is space on each side and above the turkey so that the heat can circulate freely. Also, make sure that the grill cover has room to close completely.

But don't overcook it! Most turkeys will cook on a grill in three hours or less. In order for the meat to be safely eaten, the internal temperature of the turkey breast must reach 165 degrees before it's removed from the grill. Use a meat thermometer to determine the internal temperature. Insert it into the breast at least one inch and make sure it's not touching a bone, which heats faster than the meat. Once your turkey has reached the proper temperature, remove it from the grill and allow it to stand for about fifteen minutes. This allows the juices to seep back into the meat and makes it much easier to carve.

When your turkey is carried to the table, be ready for the oohs & aahs that such a delicious entree will elicit. And the most important part of all is - make sure to look suitably worn out when everyone asks for the recipe. With any luck, it'll get you out of clean-up!

BARBEQUED TURKEY for Thanksgiving from Martha Stewart

BARBEQUED TURKEY
Provided by Martha Stewart

"A firestarter chimney or second smaller grill is essential to barbecuing turkey. For best results, use a natural hardwood charcoal"