Golden Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy
Serves: 14
1 14-pound fresh or frozen (thawed) ready-to-stuff turkey
1. Prepare stuffing: (See Below)
2. Remove giblets and neck from turkey; reserve for making Pan Gravy. Rinse
turkey with running cold water and drain well.
3. Spoon some stuffing lightly into neck cavity*. Fold neck skin over stuffing;
fasten neck skin to back with 1 or 2 skewers. If you like, with turkey
breast-side
up, lift wings toward neck, then fold them under back of turkey so they
stay in
place.
4. Spoon remaining stuffing lightly into body cavity. Close by folding
skin over
opening; skewer closed if necessary. Depending on brand of turkey, with
string,
tie legs and tail together, or push drumsticks under band of skin, or use
stuffing
clamp.
5. Place turkey, breast-side up, on rack in large roasting pan. Rub turkey
all
over with salt and pepper. Cover turkey with a loose tent of foil. Insert
meat
thermometer through foil into thickest part of thigh next to body, being
careful
that pointed end of thermometer does not touch bone. Roast turkey in 325
degrees F. oven about 3 3/4 hours; start checking for doneness during last
hour
of roasting.
6. While turkey is roasting, prepare giblets and neck to use in Pan Gravy.
7. To brown turkey, remove foil during last 1 hour of roasting time and
baste
with pan drippings occasionally. Turkey is done when thigh temperature
on
thermometer reaches 180 to 185 degrees F. and drumstick feels soft when
pressed with fingers protected by paper towels. (Breast temperature should
be
170 to 175 degrees F., stuffing temperature 160 to 165 degrees F.)
8. When turkey is done, place on warm large platter; keep warm. Prepare
Pan
Gravy.
9. To serve, garnish platter with fresh herbs. Serve with stuffing and gravy.
Each serving of turkey without stuffing or gravy: About 445 calories, 60
g
protein, 0 g carbohydrate, 21 g total fat (6 g saturated), 174 mg cholesterol,
375
mg sodium.
PAN GRAVY: In 3-quart saucepan over high heat, heat gizzard, heart, neck,
and enough water to cover to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer
45
minutes. Add liver and cook 15 minutes longer. Drain, reserving broth.
Pull meat
from neck; discard bones. Coarsely chop neck meat and giblets. Cover and
refrigerate meat and broth separately.
To make gravy, remove rack from roasting pan. Pour pan drippings through
sieve into 4-cup measure or medium bowl. Add 1 cup giblet broth to roasting
pan and stir until brown bits are loosened; pour into drippings in measuring
cup.
Let stand a few seconds, until fat separates from meat juice. Spoon 2
tablespoons fat from drippings into 2-quart saucepan; skim and discard
any
remaining fat. Add remaining giblet broth and enough water to meat juice
in cup
to equal 3 1/2 cups.
Into fat in saucepan over medium heat, stir 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
and
1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until flour turns golden brown. Gradually
stir in
meat-juice mixture and cook, stirring, until gravy boils and thickens slightly.
Stir
in reserved giblets and neck meat; heat through. Pour gravy into gravy
boat.
* Bake any leftover stuffing in covered small casserole during last 30
minutes of
roasting time.
BREAD STUFFING:
2 large loaves of bread - week old
2 medium onions, chopped fine
1 lb. butter <quarter pound sticks>
2 eggs
celery salt to taste
1/8 tsp.salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
chicken broth or water
1 10- to 12-pound turkey
For stuffing:2 frying pans
Tear bread into bite size pieces - add enough chicken broth or water until the consistency of dough.
Melt one stick of butter into each pan. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent. Add bread mixing well with the butter and onion mixture - add one more stick of butter and celery salt to taste - until bread mixture starts to brown. Add one beaten egg into each pan and stir briskly or you'll have scrambled eggs. Cook until egg is completely cooked into stuffing. Taste and add more celery salt if needed.Let cool. Then store in refrigerator covered tightly.
Rinse turkey on the outside as well as inside body and neck cavities; pat dry.
Spoon some of the stuffing loosely into neck cavity. Pull the neck skin to the back; fasten with a skewer.Lightly spoon more stuffing into the body cavity. (Place any remaining stuffing in a casserole, cover, and chill. Bake stuffing alongside turkey for 30 to 45 minutes or until heated through.) Tuck the ends of the drumsticks under the band of skin across the tail. If the band of skin is not present, tie the
drumsticks securely to the tail. Twist wing tips under the back.Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush with
oil. Insert a meat thermometer into the center of one of the inside thigh
muscles. The thermometer bulb should not touch the bone. Cover turkey
loosely with foil.Roast turkey in a 325° F. oven for 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 hours or until thermometer
registers 180° F. to 185° F. After 2-1/2 hours, cut band of skin or string
between the drumsticks so thighs will cook evenly. When done, drumsticks
should move very easily in their sockets and their thickest parts will feel soft
when pressed. Uncover the last 30 minutes of roasting.Remove turkey from oven. Cover; let stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving.
Use a spoon to remove stuffing from turkey; place in a serving bowl. Carve
turkey. Makes 12 to 14 servings.Pan Gravy
Follow these same steps--and use meat drippings and beef broth--to make gravy for roasted meat.
Pan drippings from roast poultry
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Chicken broth or waterAfter transferring roast poultry to a serving platter, pour pan drippings into a large measuring cup. (Also scrape the browned bits into the cup.) Skim and
reserve fat from drippings.Pour 1/4 cup of the fat into a medium saucepan (discard remaining fat). Stir in flour. Add enough broth or water to remaining drippings in the measuring cup to equal 2 cups; add all at once to flour mixture in saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 2 cups (8 to 10 servings).
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