Turkey for Thanksgiving
Main Dishes | American cuisine
⏳ Time
4 hours
🥕 Ingredients
12
🍽️ Servings
6
Description
Take the turkey a few days before Thanksgiving to allow it to marinate. Brining the turkey a few days before cooking is key to juicy meat. The broth for the sauce can be made 3–4 days before cooking. If you notice that the turkey is starting to burn while roasting, cover it with foil 30–40 minutes before it's done. Or if the legs are not browning, you can turn the turkey on its side and let them brown for 30–35 minutes on each side (but be sure to finish cooking with the breast side up). It is important to know that cooking 0.5 kg of turkey takes 13–15 minutes, so you can calculate the cooking time for your bird.
Ingredients
- Turkey - 15 lbs
- Turkey - 4 lbs
- Onion - 1 head
- Carrot - 1 piece
- Bay leaf - 0.2 oz
- Celery salt - 1 stalk
- Salt - to taste
- Ground Black Pepper - to taste
- Dry White Wine - 2 fl oz
- Brandy - 2 tablespoons
- Wheat Flour - 0.7 oz
- Butter - 3.5 oz
Step by Step guide
Step 1
Take the chopped turkey (leg or other parts) and roast it in the oven at maximum temperature for one hour, until the turkey acquires a nice brown color. Transfer the roasted parts along with the juices into a 3-5 liter pot, add enough water to cover the turkey, and place it over high heat. Bring to a boil and then immediately reduce to low heat. Skim off any foam that forms. Coarsely chop one large carrot, one large onion, and one stalk of celery. Add them to the broth. Season with salt, pepper, and add the bay leaf. Simmer the broth uncovered for two and a half to three hours. Strain the broth through a sieve and cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate it.
Step 2
Mix 2 tablespoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Season the bird well with this mixture. Place the turkey on a platter and refrigerate for 1–2 days. Do not cover it, so the skin dries out and becomes crispy during roasting.
Step 3
Take the turkey out 2 hours before roasting. Preheat the oven to 428°F. Carefully place the turkey in a roasting pan, breast side up, tying the legs together with kitchen twine. Pour one and a half cups of the prepared broth into the roasting pan and place it in the oven, immediately reducing the temperature to 356°F. Turn the roasting pan inside the oven every 20–25 minutes to ensure even cooking. The total roasting time is between two and a half to three hours.
Step 4
Meanwhile, in a pot, combine the remaining broth and the leftover giblets and cook over medium heat for about 45 minutes. Remove the giblets to add them to the sauce later (optional).
Step 5
To achieve a golden and beautiful color on the turkey, baste the breast with broth every 40–45 minutes.
Step 6
When the turkey is ready, remove it from the oven and carefully take the bird out of the roasting pan. Set it aside, cover it with foil, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Step 7
Meanwhile, make the sauce: pour the liquid from the roasting pan into a separate container, and place the roasting pan over medium heat on one or two burners, depending on the size of your roasting pan. Add 75 ml of dry white wine or dry vermouth and 2 tablespoons of brandy. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits in the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the reserved strained liquid and cook, stirring, until the sauce reduces by half. This should take about 8–10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Step 8
In a deep skillet, heat 3–4 tablespoons of turkey fat (I prefer regular butter) and add 20 grams of flour. Whisk to create a smooth mixture. Cook the flour for about 4 minutes until it turns light amber. Then, carefully whisk the flour mixture into the sauce pot, bring to a boil, and add another 4 cups of warm turkey broth. Let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. At the end, you can add the chopped giblets (optional). Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Do not let the sauce cool while you slice the turkey.
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