Saturday, November 17, 2012

Thanksgiving! The main event....

The holiday season is quickly approaching! With that in mind I'd like to share a few of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes. This first post will be about the 'main event'...the turkey! I hope you try some of these and let me know what you think!

These recipes are from Martha Stewart. I found it years ago in an issue of Everyday Food. Really, this is the best turkey I have ever had. Enjoy!




Roast Turkey With Herb Butter Serves 10
8   tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 ½   tablespoon each chopped fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme
Coarse salt and ground pepper
whole turkey (about 18 pounds), thawed if frozen, rinsed and patted dry, neck reserved (for gravy)
6   large carrots, halved crosswise
3  large onions, cut into 8 wedges
3   stalks celery, halved crosswise

Equipment:
Sturdy roasting pan that can be used on the stove top as well
Cotton kitchen twine
Turkey baster
Foil
Meat thermometer

1.      Preheat oven to 350°, with rack in the lowest position. Make herb butter: In a small bowl, mix together 6 tablespoons butter with chopped herbs; season generously with salt and pepper.
2.      To prepare and stuff the turkey: Turn turkey over; bend wing tips underneath bird so they stay in place (you may have to break the bones).
3.      Using cotton kitchen twine, tie legs together securely (they will overlap) so bird retains its shape and moisture during cooking.
4.      Working from the neck end, slide fingers under skin until you reach the end of the breast, being careful not to tear the skin. Rub herb butter under the skin.
5.      Cut neck into pieces; mix with carrots, onions, celery, and 2 cups water in a large roasting pan. Set roasting rack over vegetables in pan.
6.      Lift turkey onto rack breast side up; rub with remaining tablespoon butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Roast 1 hour, then baste every 30 minutes with pan liquids, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 125°, about 3 hours.
7.      Remove foil; raise oven heat to 400°. Continue roasting, basting occasionally, until thigh reaches 180°, 45 to 60 minutes more. Tent with foil if bird browns too quickly; add more water if pan becomes dry. Transfer turkey to a serving platter; cover loosely with foil, and let it rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

Note: After transferring turkey to a serving platter, reserve vegetables and turkey neck for gravy.



Rich Gravy Makes 6 cups
 Vegetables and turkey neck roasted under the Roast Turkey
1 ¼   cup dry white wine
2/3   cup all-purpose flour
10   cups water
Coarse salt and ground pepper

1.      Take the finished turkey out of the roasting pan to rest before carving. Place the pan on stove across two burners. Bring pan liquids to a boil over high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring, until vegetables are browned, 8 to 10 minutes more. (If pan begins to burn, turn off one burner, and push vegetables so they’re over other burner.)
2.      Add dry white wine. Cook, stirring constantly, until syrupy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add all-purpose flour; cook, stirring, until flour is incorporated and browned, about 2 minutes.
3.      Slowly add water; bring to a simmer, stirring, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until gravy reaches desired consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour gravy through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan; discard solids. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Keep warm; whisk well before serving.
4.      If gravy is too thin, mix flour with cool water and add to the pan. If it is too thick, add plain cool water a little at a time.



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