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| Uber Roast Turkey with Uber Gravy |
Instructions here are for an average-sized eighteen-pound turkey, but this recipe can
be adapted to the size of your bird. If you prefer to roast an unstuffed turkey, use
vegetable or herb seasonings.
Ingredients
One 18-pound fresh turkey
12 cups of your favorite stuffing
8 tablespoons [1 stick] unsalted butter, at room temperature
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 quarts Homemade Turkey Stock, or as needed
melted unsalted butter, if needed
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup bourbon, port, or dry sherry
Method
Position a rack in the lowest position of the oven and preheat to 325F.
Reserve the turkey neck and giblets to use in gravy or stock. Rinse the turkey inside
and out with cold water. Pat the turkey skin dry. Turn the turkey on its breast.
Loosely fill the neck cavity with stuffing. Using a thin wooden or metal skewer, pin the
neck skin to the back. Fold the turkey's wings akimbo behind the back or tie to the
body with kitchen string. Loosely fill the large body cavity with stuffing. Place any
remaining stuffing in a lightly buttered casserole, cover, and refrigerate to bake as a
side dish. Place the drumsticks in the hock lock or tie together with kitchen string.
Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Rub all over with the
softened butter. Season with salt and pepper. Tightly cover the breast area with
aluminum foil. Pour 2 cups of the turkey stock into the bottom of the pan.
Roast the turkey, basting all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of
the pan [lift up the foil to reach the breast area], until a meat thermometer inserted in
the meaty part of the thigh [but not touching a bone] reads 180F and the stuffing is at
least 160F, about 4 1/4 hours. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to
moisten them, about 1 1/2 cups at a time. Remove the foil during the last hour to
allow the breast skin to brown.
Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter and let it stand for at least 20 minutes
before carving. Increase the oven temperature to 350F. Drizzle 1/2 cup turkey stock
over the stuffing in the casserole, cover, and bake until heated through, about 30
minutes.
Meanwhile, pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a heat-proof glass bowl or
large measuring cup. Let stand for 5 minutes, then skim off and reserve the clear
yellow fat that has risen to the top. Measure 3/4 cup fat, adding melted butter if
needed. Add enough turkey stock to the skimmed drippings to make 8 cups total.
Place the roasting pan in two stove burners over low heat and add the turkey fat.
Whisk in the flour, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook
until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the turkey stock and the optional
bourbon. Cook, whisking often, until the gravy
has thickened and no trace of raw flour taste remains, about 5 minutes. Transfer the
gravy to a warmed gravy boat. Carve the turkey and serve the gravy and the stuffing
alongside.
be adapted to the size of your bird. If you prefer to roast an unstuffed turkey, use
vegetable or herb seasonings.
Ingredients
One 18-pound fresh turkey
12 cups of your favorite stuffing
8 tablespoons [1 stick] unsalted butter, at room temperature
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 quarts Homemade Turkey Stock, or as needed
melted unsalted butter, if needed
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup bourbon, port, or dry sherry
Method
Position a rack in the lowest position of the oven and preheat to 325F.
Reserve the turkey neck and giblets to use in gravy or stock. Rinse the turkey inside
and out with cold water. Pat the turkey skin dry. Turn the turkey on its breast.
Loosely fill the neck cavity with stuffing. Using a thin wooden or metal skewer, pin the
neck skin to the back. Fold the turkey's wings akimbo behind the back or tie to the
body with kitchen string. Loosely fill the large body cavity with stuffing. Place any
remaining stuffing in a lightly buttered casserole, cover, and refrigerate to bake as a
side dish. Place the drumsticks in the hock lock or tie together with kitchen string.
Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Rub all over with the
softened butter. Season with salt and pepper. Tightly cover the breast area with
aluminum foil. Pour 2 cups of the turkey stock into the bottom of the pan.
Roast the turkey, basting all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of
the pan [lift up the foil to reach the breast area], until a meat thermometer inserted in
the meaty part of the thigh [but not touching a bone] reads 180F and the stuffing is at
least 160F, about 4 1/4 hours. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to
moisten them, about 1 1/2 cups at a time. Remove the foil during the last hour to
allow the breast skin to brown.
Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter and let it stand for at least 20 minutes
before carving. Increase the oven temperature to 350F. Drizzle 1/2 cup turkey stock
over the stuffing in the casserole, cover, and bake until heated through, about 30
minutes.
Meanwhile, pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a heat-proof glass bowl or
large measuring cup. Let stand for 5 minutes, then skim off and reserve the clear
yellow fat that has risen to the top. Measure 3/4 cup fat, adding melted butter if
needed. Add enough turkey stock to the skimmed drippings to make 8 cups total.
Place the roasting pan in two stove burners over low heat and add the turkey fat.
Whisk in the flour, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook
until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the turkey stock and the optional
bourbon. Cook, whisking often, until the gravy
has thickened and no trace of raw flour taste remains, about 5 minutes. Transfer the
gravy to a warmed gravy boat. Carve the turkey and serve the gravy and the stuffing
alongside.