Roast Turkey with Giblet Gravy
For Turkey Marination : Whole Turkey - 4.5 kg Salt - as required Black Pepper Powder – as required Paprika Powder – 1 tablespoon
For Flavored Butter : 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted soft butter – 1 cup
Olive Oil – 2tbsp Fresh
Lemon Juice – 4 tbsp
Large Lemon Whole – 1 no Lemon
Zest – ½ tbsp.
Garlic – 2 large cloves pressed
Freshly Chopped Parsley – ¼ cup
Salt – ½ tbsp.
Black Pepper – ½ tbsp freshly ground
For Stuffing:
Large Onion – 200 gms (no peeling)
Fresh Orange – 1 piece (cut into wedges)
Green Apple – 1 piece (cut into wedges) Garlic Cloves – 1/2 (no peeling)
Fresh Parsley – 50 gms
Lemon – 1 no quartered
For Giblet Gravy :
Giblets from a whole turkey or chicken Cold Water – 4 cups
Unsalted Butter – 4 tbsp
All-Purpose Flour – 4 tbsp Pan Drippings of Roast Turkey – 2 cups
Milk – ½ cup
Salt – ½ tsp
Freshly Ground Black Pepper – ½ tsp
Hard-Boiled Eggs – 2 no (coarsely chopped)
Method for Seasoning, Stuffing, and Tying up a Tusticks
1. Season inside of the turkey cavity generously with about salt and pepper powder.
2. In a medium bowl, combine 2 sticks softened butter, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tbsp lemon zest, 4 tbsp lemon juice, 3 pressed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Mash with a fork until well combined (the lemon juice doesn't easily stir into butter but keep mixing and it will happen after a few minutes).
3. Take a whiff of it you'll fall in love with how fresh it smells!
4. Separate the skin from the turkey breast by pushing your fingers under the skin. Do this from the front and the back of the turkey, being careful not to tear the skin.
5. Stuff 2/3 of the butter mixture under skin then spread the butter around by massaging over the top of the skin. This butter keeps the turkey breast tender, juicy and provides rich flavour.
6. Rub the remaining butter over the outside of the turkey (breast, legs, wings). Drizzle all over the top of the turkey with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper; I just love crisp, salty skin.
Stuff turkey with quartered onion, 4 halved garlic cloves, fresh parsley and quartered lemon, apple and orange wedgs.
7. Tie turkey base and legs together, crossing the legs to better close up the turkey cavity, plus it looks extra fancy on the table.
How to Roast a Turkey: Pre-heat the oven to 200˚C on the bake mode. Place oven rack in the lower part of your oven.
Here is a fantastic tip: to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy:
Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil, it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry. You'll apply this shield later in the roasting process.
Place an oven-safe meat thermometer into the bird, beneath the drum stick, deep into the dark meat. Start roasting uncovered at 200˚C for 20 min.
Remove from oven; quickly baste with butter from the bottom of the dish. You can use a baster or tilt one side of the pan and collect drippings with a large spoon. Now apply the prepared foil triangle to the turkey breast area.
Reduce oven to 160˚C and bake for another 2 hours 30 min for a 12 lb bird.
Transfer turkey to serving platter and cover loosely but fully with foil. Let turkey rest for at least 1 hour. It will become more tender and easier to carve, the longer it sits. Keep the drippings from roasting pan for gravy. Now you can decorate around your turkey and make it festive. I used kale for my greens, then added small apples, sliced oranges and quartered lemons.
Notes :
If using a frozen turkey, defrost it in its plastic bag in the refrigerator for 3 days prior to roasting.
Remove turkey from fridge about 30 minutes before you start working with it. If the turkey is closer to room temperature, it will bake more evenly.
Remove the neck and bag of giblets from the turkey.
Pat dry turkey with paper towels. Let turkey sit in a roasting pan lined with paper towels to soak up any excess water from the turkey.
Fold the wings behind the turkey; if you don't they are the quickest to scorch and dry out.
Method for Giblet Gravy:
1. Place the giblets into a saucepan and cover with 4 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add the liver and continue to simmer, 30 minutes more.
2. Place a mesh strainer or colander over a large bowl. Drain the giblets. Set the liquids aside to use in the gravy, if needed. Let the giblets cool. Remove the meat from the neck and chop it with the rest of the meat.
3. Over low heat, melt the butter in a medium heavy-duty saucepan. Stir in the flour. Cook, stirring continuously until the roux just barely begins to turn golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. If you don't have drippings from a roasted turkey or if you only have a small amount, add the giblet broth or turkey stock to make 2 cups. Slowly stir the drippings or broth into the roux. Add the milk. Continue cooking and stirring until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Taste and season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the hard-boiled eggs and giblets and serve.
