Simple Roast Turkey

Some quick notes for a simple roasted turkey.

Ingredients:

Turkey and 'Cavity Fillers':

• 1 12-20 pound turkey (tresh or well thawed)
  
• 1 stalk celery, cut in 2 inch lengths (use leaves and end in gravy stock)
  1 onion, peeled and quartered  (use ends and skins in gravy stock)
  
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1 apple, quartered
  
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 4 gloves garlic
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  
  

Herb Butter:

• 4 ounces butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon powdered garlic

Instructions:

1. Prep turkey the night before, or early in the morning.
2. Mix together butter, chives, chopped rosemary, and spices in the food processor or small bowl.
3. Remove giblets and neck from turkey, trim away excess fat. (Use neck in stock)
   
4. Pat turkey dry with paper towels.
5. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. 
6. Rub 1/2 of butter mixture under loosened skin and over breast and drumsticks. 
7. Tie wing tips up against turkey with cotton twine, or tuck under bird in pab.
   
8. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.
   (Use foil pan supported by a heavy cooking sheet, and a baking rack.)
9. Tie legs together with kitchen string. 
10. Microwave the remaining herb butter mixture for 30 seconds until soft enough to brush all over the outside of the turkey, including legs and wings.
    
11. Let turkey sit uncovered in refrigerator until 1 hr before cooking.
12. Preheat oven to 325°
    
13. Place electric cooking thermometer in turkey breast. (Set alarm for 160 to 165 degrees.)
14. Place turkey (in roasting pan) in oven, bake for 13 - 15 minutes per pound. (You may cover breast with foil after half the estimated cooking time.)
15. Watch thermometer - you want to reach 160 degrees.
    
16. There is no basting necessary.
17. Remove from oven; cover loosely with foil. Let stand 20 to 30 minutes before cutting. 
18. Place any casseroles in the oven at that time at 350° degrees.  

For the Gravy:

1. Place neck bone and other gizzards (as acceptable) in heavy pot. Throw away liver.
2. Add skins and ends from 2 yellow onions, and 1 onion quartered.
3. Add ends and leaves from a couple of celery stalks, and pieces of 1 stalk.
4. Add a carrot cut into pieces (or 6 or or so baby carrots.)
5. Add 2 cans chicken broth, and 2 cups of water to pan.
6. Bring to boil, reduce heat at simmer for 20 minutes to 30 minutes.
7. Strain and remove everything but the broth. Remove from heat, and wait for turkey juices from pan.
   
8. Pour juices from turkey pan into a glass measuring cup, let fat separate from broth.
9. Scrape up the browned bits from the pan to use in gravy - add to juices,
10. For each cup of gravy you want, start with two tablespoons of fat from drippings (or butter), and two tablespoons of flour or cornstarch.
11. Heat fat in a heavy pot, add flour and cook for at least a minute to cook flour and remove floury taste. Add additional drippings if this seems very dry.
12. Remove excess fat from pan juices, and stir in juices to pan.
13. Slowly add in stock as needed to make the amount of gravy you want.

 

 Carole's Notes:

This is a slight modification to last year's plan.