One 18-pound fresh turkey
About 12 cups of your favorite stuffing
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
2 1/2 quarts Homemade Turkey Stock (see recipe), or as needed
Melted unsalted butter, if needed
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup bourbon, port, or dry sherry, optional
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Position
a rack in the lowest position of the oven and preheat to 325
degrees F.Reserve the turkey neck
and giblets to use in gravy or stock. Rinse the turkey inside and out
with cold water. Pat the turkey skin dry. Turn the turkey on its breast.
Loosely fill the neck cavity with stuffing. Using a thin wooden or metal
skewer, pin the neck skin to the back. Fold the turkey's wings akimbo
behind the back or tie to the body with kitchen string. Loosely fill the
large body cavity with stuffing. Place any remaining stuffing in a
lightly buttered casserole, cover, and refrigerate to bake as a side
dish. Place the drumsticks in the hock lock or tie together with kitchen
string.
Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Rub all
over with the softened butter. Season with salt and pepper. Tightly
cover the breast area with aluminum foil. Pour 2 cups of the turkey
stock into the bottom of the pan.
Roast the turkey, basting all over every 30 minutes with the juices on
the bottom of the pan (lift up the foil to reach the breast area), until
a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh (but not
touching a bone) reads 180°F and the stuffing is at least 160°F, about 4
1/4 hours. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them,
about 1 1/2 cups at a time. Remove the foil during the last hour to
allow the breast skin to brown.
Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter and let it stand for at
least 20 minutes before carving. Increase the oven temperature to 350
degrees F. Drizzle 1/2 cup turkey stock over the stuffing in the
casserole, cover, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a heatproof
glass bowl or large measuring cup. Let stand for 5 minutes, then skim
off and reserve the clear yellow fat that has risen to the top. Measure
3/4 cup fat, adding melted butter if needed. Add enough turkey stock to
the skimmed drippings to make 8 cups total.
Place the roasting pan in two stove burners over low heat and add the
turkey fat. Whisk in the flour, scraping up the browned bits on the
bottom of the pan, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Whisk in the turkey stock and the optional bourbon. Cook, whisking
often, until the gravy has thickened and no trace of raw flour taste
remains, about 5 minutes. Transfer the gravy to a warmed gravy boat.
Carve the turkey and serve the gravy and the stuffing alongside.
Makes about 14 servings, with about 7 cups gravy
Reprinted by permission of Broadway
Books. All rights reserved |
