Thanksgiving Turkey and Gravy
Ingredients
- 12 pound Turkey
- Kosher salt
- Sugar
- Oil
- Flour
- Onion
- Carrot
- Parsley
- Bay Leaves
- White Wine
Instructions
- Remove and save the giblets.
- 1-2 days before cooking the turkey, mix 4 Tbsp kosher salt and 4 Tsp sugar, separate the skin from the meat by moving your hand underneath the skin. Place salt/sugar mixture on the meat, and some in the cavity.
- Tuck wings under the dark meat, tie legs together with twine, put on a rack on a pan uncovered in a fridge for 24-48 hours to dry out the skin.
- 3 hours before serving, remove the turkey from the fridge.
- Pat dry, then make a paste with 1 Tsp baking powder and 1.5 Tsp oil, paint the paste on the outside layer of skin.
- Preheat the oven to 500º for 30 minutes, and put pizza stone on bottom rack, then roasting pan on top to preheat both.
- Make a tinfoil shield for the breast of the turkey, place on the turkey.
- Once the pan is preheated, put 2 Tsp oil in the pan, then put the turkey in the pan and in the oven. Set the oven to 425º for 45 minutes to start cooking the dark meat.
- Remove the tinfoil shield, then set the oven to 325º for around 45 minutes or until the breast are 165º and the thighs are 175º.
- Remove the turkey from the oven, set aside to rest for 45 minutes.
- To make the gravy, strain the drippings in a mesh strainer. Let the drippings sit for 10 minutes to allow the fat to rise.
- Use 3 Tbsp drippings fat in a pot over medium-high heat, add giblets to sear, then remove giblets and set aside.
- Set the pot to medium heat, add chopped onion, carrot, parsley, and bay leaves for 5-7 minutes.
- Add 1/2 to 1 cup of flour, stir or whisk to make roux. Slowly add in gravy juice (not the fat) and whisk.
- Add 3 1/4 cups water, whisk. Add 1/4 cup white wine. Add the giblets back in. Turn the heat to high, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Season gravy to taste, strain, and serve with carved turkey.
Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5vGMBOdwss