Extra-Moist Roast Turkey With Pan Gravy
Get ready for the holidays with recipes from Gourmet's November 2008 Thanksgiving Issue
SERVES 6
ACTIVE TIME: 25 min | START TO FINISH: 3 hr
(DOES NOT INCLUDE BRINGING TURKEY TO ROOM TEMPERATURE)
NOVEMBER 2008 (PAGE 156)
The secret to this succulent bird is an inexpensive metal pan. We used the kind of old-fashioned oval roaster found in most supermarkets, not fancy cookware stores. These lightweight enameled pans with lids simultaneously roast and braise the turkey, so it stays moist even as it cooks quickly. Simply uncover it at the end to crisp the skin. Ample pan juices add a fragrant richness to our easy gravy. (For tips on making gravy, see Kitchen Notebook.)
FOR TURKEY
1 (11- to 12-lb) turkey at room temperature 1 hour, reserving neck, giblets (excluding liver), and wing tips for stock
1/2 medium onion
1 bunch thyme
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided
1 cup water
FOR GRAVY
2 cups hot turkey stock
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Melted unsalted butter if necessary
Reserved chopped giblets from stock (optional)
Equipment: a small metal skewer; a 24-inch piece of kitchen string; a covered turkey roaster, or a 13- by 9-inch roasting pan and heavy-duty foil; a 2-qt measuring cup or a fat separator
Garnish: thyme sprigs
MAKE TURKEY:
Rinse turkey inside and out, then pat dry. Mix together 2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and rub all over turkey inside and out. Put onion and thyme in large cavity. Pin neck skin to body with skewer. Center kitchen string under back of breast and bring ends over to pin wings, then crisscross string and tie ends of drumsticks together. Put turkey on a metal rack in roaster and brush with 4 tablespoons melted butter. Cover pan (if using a roasting pan, cover turkey with parchment paper, then foil) and roast 1 hour.
MAKE GRAVY WHILE TURKEY STANDS:
© 2008 Gourmet Magazine