Maple Whiskey Gravy Recipes

Steps:

• Make the brine: Combine 2 quarts water, the whiskey, maple syrup, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, orange and apple peels and rosemary sprigs in a large pot. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve the salt, then turn off the heat and cover. Allow to cool completely, then place in the fridge to chill.
• Brine the turkey: Remove the turkey from its packaging and remove the bags inside that hold the neck and giblets. Rinse the neck and giblets and put them in a plastic bag in the fridge; you'll need them for the gravy. Rinse the turkey thoroughly with cold water. Place the turkey in a large brining bag or pot. Pour in the maple-whiskey brine and refrigerate 16 to 18 hours so the brine can work its magic.
• Roast the turkey: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. After the turkey has brined, remove it from the brining bag and rinse it thoroughly again, inside and out. Pat dry.
• Truss the turkey or tuck the legs and wings, whichever you like. Place breast-side up on a rack in a large shallow roasting pan. Cover the pan with heavy-duty foil so that it's well sealed. Roast 7 to 8 minutes per pound (about 1 hour 50 minutes for a 15-pound turkey and about 2 1/2 hours for a 20-pound turkey).
• Remove the turkey from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Remove the foil. (Put stuffing in the bird if you wish at this point.) Brush the butter all over the skin of the turkey, getting in the crevices. Insert a probe thermometer into the thigh, near the hip joint. Place the turkey, uncovered, back in the oven. Continue roasting, basting or brushing with the juices in the pan every 30 minutes, until the thermometer registers 165 degrees F and the juices are no longer pink. This will take about another 10 minutes per pound (about 2 1/2 hours for a 15-pound turkey and 3 to 3 1/2 hours for a 20-pound turkey). Remove the turkey from the oven and cover lightly with foil until you are ready to carve. Pour the pan drippings into a fat separator and set aside for gravy.
• Maple-Whiskey Gravy
• Place the giblets and neck in a small saucepan of water over medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the giblets are cooked. Remove the giblets, set aside and keep the water in the saucepan.
• In the turkey roasting pan (which should not have been cleaned!), add the turkey fat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk into the fat to form a paste. If the paste is too thick or clumpy, add a little more fat. If it's too greasy, sprinkle in more flour. Whisk and cook the roux over medium-low heat until it is deep golden brown.
• Pour in the chicken broth, whiskey and maple syrup, whisking the whole time. Allow the gravy to cook and thicken for several minutes, whisking occasionally. If it gets too thick or if it's too salty, thin it with a little giblet water. If the gravy is too thin, keep cooking it until it thickens up.
• Taste, then add salt and plenty of pepper. Chop the giblets and add them in, if you like. Remove as much of the neck meat as you can and add it to the gravy. Serve immediately!

Steps:

• For the stock: In a medium saucepot, add enough water (approximately 5 cups) to cover the turkey neck, giblets, carrot, celery, and onion. Bring the water to a boil; reduce heat and simmer on low, skimming the top occasionally for any foam. Cook the stock for at least one hour and up to two hours. Discard the turkey pieces and vegetables and strain the stock through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into another bowl. Strain again, if desired.
• For the gravy: In a wide pot or skillet (just deep enough to accommodate the stock), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the bourbon and cook until nearly evaporated. Add the turkey stock and cornstarch and whisk vigorously until smooth.
• Increase the heat to high and bring the gravy to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until it has reduced down and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the sage and cook for one more minute. Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Turn off heat and keep warm until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Transfer to a rack set in a large roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Fill body cavity with 6 cups stuffing. Fill neck cavity with 4 cups stuffing; secure skin flap with skewers. Tie drumsticks with kitchen twine. Tuck wings under turkey. Rub turkey with butter, and season generously with salt and pepper. Pour broth into pan; roast 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; roast 45 minutes. Brush with pan juices, and tent pan with foil. Roast 45 minutes more, then remove foil, and baste. (If liquid evaporates, add 1 to 2 cups water to pan.)
• Meanwhile, bring maple syrup to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer until syrup is reduced to 3/4 cup.
• After removing foil tent from turkey and basting with pan juices, brush turkey with some of maple glaze (reheat if solidified). Roast, uncovered, 30 minutes, and brush with glaze. Continue to roast turkey until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees, about 30 minutes more. (Take temperature of stuffing as well; if it has not reached 165 degrees, remove it from turkey, then transfer to a baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake until it reaches 165 degrees.) Brush turkey with maple glaze, and transfer to a platter; let rest 45 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, using drippings in pan, make maple gravy.

Steps:

• Discard neck; coarsely chop giblets, and return to roasting pan. Place pan on stove across 2 burners (if using a disposable roasting pan, scrape contents into a medium saucepan). Bring drippings to a boil over medium-high; cook, scraping up browned bits, until liquid is brown and syrupy, 8 to 10 minutes (if bottom of pan is about to scorch, lower heat).
• Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until very syrupy, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring, until incorporated, about 1 minute. Gradually add broth, then 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until gravy reaches desired thickness, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in bourbon; cook 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; stir in cream. (If gravy is too thick, add water as necessary.) Pour gravy through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan; discard solids. Season with salt and pepper, and keep warm; whisk before serving.

Steps:

• Pour drippings from turkey roasting pan into a fat separator, and set aside. Place pan on 2 burners over medium-high heat. Add wine and 1 cup stock to pan, then bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Boil 2 minutes, then add 1 1/2 cups stock and defatted drippings (you should have about 1 cup); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Whisk flour into remaining cup stock, and add to gravy. Simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a serving dish or gravy boat. Serve hot.