Whole roast turkey with giblet gravy and our traditional stuffing
Ingredients
1 Whole Turkey
1/2 cup Butter, Melted
2 cups Dry White Wine
2 cups Chicken or Turkey Stock
1 cup Butter, Softened
2 tablespoons Fresh Sage, Stem Removed and Chopped
2 tablespoons Fresh Rosemary, Stem Removed and Chopped
1 tablespoon Fresh Thyme, Stem Removed and Chopped
1 whole Lemon, Zested
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
200g Giblet
3 teaspoons Sea Salt
2 yards Cheesecloth, 100% Cotton Lint Free for Cooking
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Use paper towels and dry turkey well. Place turkey into roasting pan.
Add 2 cup water to the bottom of the roasting pan.
Combine melted butter white wine and stock in a medium sized saucepan. Set aside.
Combined softened butter, sage, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, garlic, and sea salt. Mix until well combined.
Rub 2/3 of the softened butter and herb mixture under the skin over the turkey breast and drumsticks. Be careful not to rip the skin. Spread remaining butter over
the top of turkey skin.
If stuffing turkey, stuff at this time and tie legs together and secure skin flap in back. If not stuffing add onions, garlic, 1 lemon cut in half, carrots and celery to the cavity
of turkey for extra flavor. Tie legs together, secure skin flap in back and tuck wings under turkey.
Take cheesecloth and fold large enough to cover top and sides of turkey.
Dip cheese cloth into white wine butter mixture and cover the top and sides of the turkey with cheesecloth.
Heat butter/white wine mixture on low to warm and use for basting. When butter white wine mixture runs low use pan juices.
Place turkey in oven and baste every 20 minutes until thigh meat registers 180-185 degrees F and if stuffed stuffing needs to register at 165 degrees F. Allow
anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes per pound if stuffed, a little bit less for unstuffed. About 7-7 1/2 hours for a 29 pound turkey.
Remove cheesecloth 30-45 minutes before removing from oven and baste well to brown skin. If cheesecloth is sticking baste it well to loosen it from the skin.
Allow turkey to rest 15 minutes before slicing to allow juices to soak back into meat, make gravy during this time with remaining pan juices.
Giblet gravy
1 roast turkey, giblets roasted in the pan with the turkey
3 tablespoons flour (for gravy) (45 milliliters)
2 cups turkey or chicken broth or water (as needed if there are insufficient juices) (500 milliliters)
3 ounces cold butter, sliced (optional) (90 grams)
Salt and pepper to taste to taste
Preparation
1. Transfer the turkey to a platter and pour any juices that have accumulated in the cavity into the roasting pan.
2. Chop the giblets until quite fine but not into a purée.
3. If the pan is swimming in juices, pour all the juices into a glass pitcher and skim off and discard the fat with a ladle. If you're making gravy, put 3 tablespoons (45
milliliters) of the fat back in the roasting pan.
4. If there are less than 2 cups (500 milliliters) of juices in the roasting pan, put the pan on the stove over high heat. Move the pan around every couple of minutes so it's
heated evenly. Continue in this way until a brown crust forms on the bottom of the pan and the only liquid in the pan is a layer of shiny liquid fat. Pour out the fat; if
you're making gravy, leave 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) of the fat in the pan.
5. If you're making gravy, add 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) of flour to the fat in the pan and stir over medium heat until it smells toasty, about 3 minutes. Whether making
a jus or gravy, add the broth and bring to a simmer. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dissolve the juices. Stir in the giblets. Whisk in the butter, if
using. Season with salt and pepper.