Thanksgiving Turkey ... and gravy

This year has been crazy!  Took a stab at cooking turkey for Thanksgiving for the very fist time.  I survived.  The food was eaten with NO complaints.  

Our normal Thanksgiving is ALL my family at my grandparents house.  Family from all over CA, NY and Taiwan come.  My grandparents cancelled Thanksgiving this year at their house.  It was super sad not seeing everyone.  

BUT the good news I made my first turkey.  It was just El Husbee, the kiddos and my parents.  We Face Time with some family.

Did I love my turkey.  Yes!  Will I be making the turkey going forward?  Probably not.  I am for sure a sides kinda gal.  But if I needed to I would totally make it this way again.  In fact, I want to try making chicken like this.  

Thanksgiving Turkey:

Ingredients:

• 1 (12-14) fresh whole turkey
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup butter, unsalted at room temperature
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon jucie
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
• 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 carrots, peeled
• 4 stalks celery
• 1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
• 2 cups chicken stock

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Remove giblets and neck from the turkey cavity.  Dry turkey thoroughly with paper towels.  Season turkey cavity with salt and pepper, to taste.  
3. In a small bowl, combine butter, shallot, lemon juice, sage, thyme, lemon zest, and garlic.  Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper.  (you can add more or less depending on taste)
4. Using your fingers, carefully loosen the skin form the breast meat, spreading half of the butter mixture under the skin.  If needed, secure skin back with toothpicks.  
5. Please carrots, celery and onion in a roasting pan on top of the grate.  Please turkey breast side up on top of the vegetables.  Tuck wingtips under.  
6. Spread remaining half of the butter mixture over the turkey.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add chicken stock to the roasting pan.  
7. Please into oven and roast for 30 minutes.  
8. Reduce oven temperature to 325F.  Continue roasting until the turkey is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165F in the thickest part of the thigh.  
9. Let stand 20 minutes before carving; reserve pan dripping for gravy.  

I made 10 lb turkey for Thanksgiving.  I cooked mine for 3 hours.  I lost track of time and probably should have been checking it every 30 minutes after 2 hours.  I think the turkey would have been fine at 2 1/2 hours.  BUT the family still loved it and the dark meat was perfect. With gravy no one complained.  In fact, homemade gravy was delicious.  

Best Turkey Gravy

Ingredients:

• pan drippings from turkey
• 1/4 cup butter, unsalted 
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Strain pan drippings and discard solids.  Reserve 2 1/2 cups pan drippings.  Set aside.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk flour and cook for about 1 minute.  
3. Gradually whisk in pan drippings.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer.  Whisk until thicken, about 5-10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  
4. Service warm.

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO