Roast Turkey with Bourbon Gravy

Some families think of turkey strictly as a Thanksgiving feast, but others wouldn’t dream of having a Christmas meal without the bird making a return appearance. Turkey is a big bird, and a big subject. I have roasted hundreds of turkeys in just about every way possible. But this is my tried and - true method that has given me my reputation as Mr. Turkey. For an in-depth discussion, pick up Thanksgiving 101. In the meantime, here are the most important things to remember:

• There is no flavor difference between a tom and a hen, only size. Toms weigh about 15 pounds and above and hens average between 8 and 15 pounds. Choose your turkey size by how many people you want to serve, figuring about 1 pound per person, which allows for seconds and leftovers. Toms are bred to have large breasts, so you will get more white meat for your money with a big bird.

• I prefer the flavor and moistness of a fresh turkey. If you must use a frozen turkey, defrost it properly in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. Allow a full 24 hours in the refrigerator to defrost each 5 pounds of turkey. A 25-pound bird will take a full 5 days to defrost. If you are a novice cook, buy a selfbasting bird, which is injected with broth and fats to help keep the bird moist. Self-basting birds don’t have a true turkey flavor, but they are practically failproof. But I guarantee that once you learn how to roast a beautiful, fresh, all-natural turkey, there is no turning back. Organic and free-range birds are excellent, but the added cost depends on your guests. Will they really appreciate the difference? My guests do.

• Invest in a few essential tools that you will use time and again to roast your holiday birds (and roasts). A high-quality roasting pan will make the best, beautifully browned gravy drippings, and, unlike those cheap disposable aluminum foil pans, you won’t have to worry about the pan buckling under the weight of a heavy bird. My favorite pan is nonstick and measures 18 × 14 × 3 inches. Buy a roasting rack to fit the pan so the turkey doesn’t stew in its own juices. Using a meat thermometer, preferably a digital probe model, is the best way to tell when the bird is cooked. Don’t trust pop-up thermometers, as they often get glued shut from the turkey juices. A bulb baster will help distribute the cooking juices over the bird. And don’t forget an oven thermometer—many oven thermostats are inaccurate. A flat whisk (buy a hard plastic one for a nonstick pan) will help you get into the corners of the pan to whisk the flour and butter into the drippings for the gravy.

• You will never be able to fit all of the stuffing into the bird, so plan on baking the leftover stuffing on the side. Fill the bird loosely with the stuffing, as it will expand during cooking.

• The trick with roast turkey is to have the white meat remain moist and succulent while the dark meat is thoroughly cooked and at its peak of flavor. White meat is cooked at 170°F, and after that point it begins to dry out. Unfortunately, dark meat needs to be cooked to 180°F in order for it to be tasty. Many cookbooks and cooking magazines instruct the cook to roast the bird to 170°F, or even less, which does give moist white meat but undercooked, red dark meat. It’s not unhealthy to eat the dark meat—I just don’t like the soft texture and underroasted flavor, and neither does anyone else I know. I correct the problem by wrapping—not tenting—the breast area with aluminum foil. This slows down the cooking in this crucial area. Baste under the foil (basting promotes a crisp, brown skin) whenever you like—every 45 minutes or so is plenty. During the last hour of roasting, remove the foil and allow the skin to brown.

• To make any amount of gravy, follow the recipe below, allowing 1½ tablespoons each of turkey fat and flour for every cup of stock and degreased turkey drippings.

Carving Up:
Here are step-by-step instructions for carving a roast turkey.

1. First, allow the bird to stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes and up to 40 minutes before carving. This allows the uices to settle into the meat. If you carve it too soon, the juices will run out of the flesh, and you’ll have dry turkey.

2. Remove the drumsticks to make the breast easier to reach and carve. Cut off each drumstick at the knee oint. If the turkey is properly cooked (that is, at least 180°F), they will pull away without any trouble, making the joints easy to sever. Do not remove the thighs at this point, or the bird will roll around the platter while you try to carve it. Transfer the drumsticks to a platter. To allow more people to en oy the dark meat, tilt each drumstick, holding it from the foot end, and cut downward along the bone to slice the meat.

3. Hold the breast firmly with the meat fork. One side at a time, make a deep incision, cut parallel to the table down near the wing. Cut down along the side of the breast to carve it into thin slices. Every slice will stop at the parallel cut. Transfer the sliced breast to the platter. Turn the turkey around to carve the other side.

4. Pry the thighs away from the hips to reveal the ball oints, and sever at the joints. Transfer the thighs to the platter. To carve each thigh, hold the thigh with a meat fork, and carve the meat parallel to the bone.

5. Pry the wings away from the shoulder joints and sever at the joints. Transfer to the platter.

If you still feel nervous about carving in front of your guests, present the whole roast bird at the table in all its glory. Then, run back into the kitchen and carve the meat where no one is looking. Serve it carved on a platter, or use two platters, separating the dark and white meat. This actually works better, because the guests can serve themselves more easily. Here’s a neat trick: If you have extra turkey stock, ust before serving, pour a ladleful of the hot stock over each platter so the meat is steaming and looks especially juicy.

Carving a goose follows the same general idea, but the goose joints are very tight and will not sever as easily as the turkey, and a goose is all dark meat.

Makes about 12 servings, plus leftovers

Ingredients:
• One l8-pound fresh turkey
• Cornbread Succotash Stuffing or your favorite stuffing recipe
• 6 tablespoons (3⁄4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• About 8½ cups Homemade Turkey Stock
• 1⁄2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons bourbon

Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Rinse the turkey well with cold water and pat dry. Remove the fat from the tail area and reserve it. (If there isn’t any fat, don’t worry.) Turn the turkey on its breast. Loosely fill the neck cavity with the stuffing. Pin the neck skin to the back skin with a thin wooden or metal skewer. Fold the wings akimbo behind the back or tie to the body with kitchen string. Loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing. Place any remaining stuffing in a lightly buttered casserole, cover, and refrigerate to bake as a side dish. Secure the drumsticks at the tail with a clip or tie with kitchen string. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Rub the turkey with the softened butter. Season with salt and pepper. Place the reserved turkey fat in the pan. Tightly cover the breast area with aluminum foil. Pour 2 cups of stock in the bottom of the pan.

2. Roast, basting about every 45 minutes with the drippings in the pan (lift up the foil to reach the breast area), until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh (not touching a bone) reads 180°F to 185°F and the stuffing is at least 165°F, about 4½ hours. As the drippings in the pan evaporate, add 2 cups water. During the last hour, remove the foil to allow the skin to brown, making sure to baste a couple of times before the turkey is done to color the skin with the pan juices.

3. Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Drizzle the stuffing with 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock, cover, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, pour the drippings from the pan into a large glass bowl or gravy separator. Let stand for 5 minutes; skim off and reserve the clear yellow fat on the surface (or pour off the drippings and reserve both the drippings and fat in a separator). Add enough turkey stock to the skimmed drippings to make 6 cups total.

5. Place the roasting pan over two burners on medium heat. Add 1⁄2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of the reserved turkey fat (if necessary, add melted butter to make up any shortage). Whisk in the flour, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and let bubble until beige, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the turkey liquid and bourbon. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. (If the gravy seems too thick, add more stock or water.) Season with salt and pepper. Strain the gravy, if desired. Transfer to a warmed gravy boat. Carve the turkey (see “Carving Up,”), and serve the gravy and stuffing alongside.

Estimated Turkey Roasting Times:

Oven Temperature: 325°F

Add an extra 30 minutes to the roasting time to allow for variations in roasting conditions. It’s better to have a bird done ahead of time than to keep everyone waiting and hungry for the bird to finish roasting.

UNSTUFFED TURKEY:
• 8 to 12 pounds - 2¾ to 3 hours
• 12 to 14 pounds - 3 to 3¾ hours
• 14 to 18 pounds - 3¾ to 4¼ hours
• 18 to 20 pounds - 4¼ to 4½ hours
• 20 to 24 pounds - 4½ to 5 hours

STUFFED TURKEY:
• 8 to 12 pounds - 3 to 3½ hours
• 12 to 14 pounds - 3½ to 4 hours
• 14 to 18 pounds - 4 to 4¼ hours
• 18 to 20 pounds - 4¼ to 4¾ hours
• 20 to 24 pounds - 4¾ to 5¼ hours

Quick Turkey Stock: In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey neck, chopped into 2- to 3-inch pieces, and the giblets (no liver). Cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add 1 small chopped onion, 1 small chopped carrot, and 1 small chopped celery rib with leaves, and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add three 13 and 3⁄4-ounce cans reducedsodium chicken broth and 1 quart water. Bring to a simmer, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Add 3 sprigs fresh parsley, 1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme, 8 peppercorns, and 1 bay leaf. Simmer for 1 and 1⁄2 to 3 hours, the longer the better. Strain. Cool and skim off any clear yellow fat that rises to the surface. Makes about 8 and 1⁄2 cups.

This recipe was published in 'Christmas 101, Celebrate the Holiday Season from Christmas to New Year’s (Rick Rodgers) - p60 to p63'.