[Recipe] Christmas Turkey with Gravy

Turkey

Ingredients

• 1 10-12 Pound Turkey
• 1 1/2 cups Butter (6 sticks, room temperature)
• 1 Tbsp Sea Salt (finely ground)
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Peppercorns (ground)
• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• 2 Lemons (small, finely zested and juiced)
• 3 Cloves Garlic (peeled and crushed)
• 1 Bunch Flat-leaf Parsley leaves (small, chopped)
• 2 Onions (peeled and cut in half)
• 1 Lemon (halved)
• 1 Tbsp Garlic (pureed)
• 6 Bay leaves
• Olive oil (for drizzling)
• 8 Bacon strips (smoked hardwood)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
2. Prepare the herb butter by mixing the sea salt, pepper, olive oil, zest and juice from the lemon, crushed garlic and chopped parsley and adding to the butter in a large bowl. Stir until mixed well.
3. Remove the giblets from the turkey and salt and pepper the inside well.
4. Gently loosen the skin from the breast and legs of the turkey. Stuff half of the herb butter all over the meat of the breast and legs, under the skin. From the outside, finish spreading the butter so it covers the meat.
5. Place the bird breast side up in roasting pan. Spread the pureed garlic on the inside of the turkey, and then stuff the bird with the onion and lemon halves. Place four of the bay leaves inside and place the other two under the skin of the breast.
6. Flash roast the turkey in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Take out and turn the oven down to 350 degrees.
7. Baste the bird, then cover the breasts with the bacon strips. Drizzle with oil and baste again.
8. Cook for approximately 15 minutes per pound, occasionally basting until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh.
9. Remove the bay leaves from under the skin and transfer the turkey to a warming platter to rest. Tent the turkey with foil.

Gravy

Ingredients

• Turkey drippings
• 2 cups Chicken broth
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. Skim excess fat from turkey drippings.
2. Bring turkey juice to a boil.
3. Add the chicken broth, bring back to a boil and reduce by a third, stirring occasionally.
4. Strain gravy and return to pan. Thicken by slowly adding a roux made with cornstarch and water until it reaches the desired consistency, stirring constantly. (A rule of thumb is 2 Tbsp corn starch with the same amount of water per cup of gravy.)

(Adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s Christmas. Recipe for Turkey With Gravy)