Roast Turkey With Apple Brandy Gravy Recipes

Steps:

• To brine the turkey:
• Line extra-large pot or bowl with two 13-gallon (or larger) plastic bags, 1 inside the other. Combine 1 quart water, salt, bay leaves, peppercorns, and allspice in large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until salt dissolves. Remove from heat. Add 1 quart cold water and cool to lukewarm. Pour into plastic bags; mix in remaining 6 quarts water. Wrap turkey neck and refrigerate. Submerge turkey in brine to cover completely, gathering bags tightly to eliminate any air; tie bags closed. Refrigerate turkey in brine in pot at least 18 hours and up to 20 hours.
• Line large roasting pan with 4 layers of paper towels. Remove turkey from brine and drain well; discard brine. Place turkey in prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• For herb butter and gravy:
• Mix parsley, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, and nutmeg in small bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup herb mixture to small bowl; mix in 1/2 cup butter.
• Combine broth and apple cider in heavy large saucepan. Boil until reduced to 3 cups, about 20 minutes. Pour broth reduction into bowl. Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in same saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; stir 1 minute. Whisk in broth reduction, then cream, Calvados, and remaining herb mixture. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until gravy base is thickened and reduced to 2 3/4 cups, whisking often, about 20 minutes. Cool gravy base slightly. (Gravy base and herb butter can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)
• To roast the turkey:
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Remove turkey from roasting pan; drain any accumulated juices from main cavity. Discard paper towels from roasting pan. Melt herb butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Brush bottom of roasting pan with some of herb butter. Return turkey to prepared pan. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Place some apple quarters and onion quarters in main cavity. Brush remaining herb butter over turkey; sprinkle with pepper. Scatter remaining apples and onions around turkey in pan. Add reserved turkey neck to pan.
• Roast turkey 1 hour. Baste with 1/2 cup apple cider. Roast turkey 30 minutes. Baste with remaining 1/2 cup cider. Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, basting turkey every 30 minutes with pan juices and covering breast loosely with foil if browning too quickly, about 2 hours longer (3 1/2 hours total). Transfer turkey to platter; let stand at least 30 minutes before carving (internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees).
• Discard apples, onions, and turkey neck from pan. Pour pan juices into large glass measuring cup; spoon off fat from surface. Pour degreased juices into gravy base and bring to boil over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. Boil until gravy thickens enough to coat spoon and is reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Season gravy to taste with pepper.
• Serve turkey with gravy.

Steps:

• Brine the turkey: Tear the bay leaves to release their natural oils. Place in a large bowl with the buttermilk, sugar, salt, black pepper and cayenne, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Place the turkey in a brining bag or clean unscented garbage bag, pour in the buttermilk mixture and tightly tie the bag closed. Place in a pot or bowl that holds it snugly, making sure the legs are fully immersed in the brine, and refrigerate for at least 48 hours and up to 72 hours.
• Make the turkey: Position a rack at the bottom of the oven and heat oven (not convection) to 450 degrees. Tear the bay leaves to release their natural oils. Spread the apples, fennel, onions, 12 bay leaves and half of the thyme, ginger, garlic and orange across the bottom of a large roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and the whole peppercorns.
• Drain the turkey and wipe dry. (Discard the brine.) Place the turkey in the pan breast side up, and rub its cavity with salt and ground pepper. Stuff the cavity with the lemon and the remaining bay leaves, thyme, ginger, garlic and orange. Tuck the wings underneath and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Sprinkle the turkey with salt and ground pepper, and drizzle everything with oil. Drizzle more oil all over the turkey and rub to generously and evenly coat the skin. Transfer to the oven and roast until browned in spots all over but not burned, 20 to 40 minutes. (Ovens vary widely in how quickly they brown such a large bird, so start checking at 20 minutes and keep going until it's spotted all over.)
• Pour 2 cups water into the pan, cover the turkey with foil and loosely crimp around the edges of the pan. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and slide the pan back into the oven. Slow-roast until the turkey is almost cooked through (a meat thermometer will register 150 degrees in the thickest part of the breast and 160 degrees in the thigh), about 4 hours.
• Uncover, baste all over with the pan juices and roast uncovered until the skin is more evenly browned and the meat registers 155 degrees in the breast and 165 degrees in the thigh, 30 to 45 minutes. The internal temperature will continue to rise as the turkey rests. Let cool slightly in the pan, then transfer the turkey to a serving platter.
• Make the gravy: Smash the fruits and vegetables in the roasting pan. Set a colander with small holes or a medium-mesh strainer over a bowl or pot, and pour in everything from the pan, working in batches if needed. Press hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible along with fruit and vegetable pulp. Discard the solids in the colander; scrape any strained pulp into the bowl. Skim and discard fat from the strained juices.
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk until deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. While whisking, add the defatted pan juices a little at a time, whisking until smooth, then stir in the brandy. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Keep warm over low.
• When ready to serve, season the gravy to taste with salt and pepper. Carve the turkey and serve with the hot gravy.

Steps:

• Make turkey:
• Boil apple cider and maple syrup in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until reduces to 1/2 cup, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in half of chopped thyme, half of marjoram and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel. Add butter and whisk until melted. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Slide hand under skin of turkey breast to loosen shin. Rub 1/2 cup maple butter over breast under skin. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing into main cavity. Rub 1/4 cup maple butter over outside of turkey. Reserve remaining maple butter for gravy. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey. Arrange onion, celery, carrot and reserved turkey nick and giblets around turkey in pan. Sprinkle vegetables with remaining 1 tablespoon thyme and remaining 1 tablespoon marjoram. Pour 2 cups broth into pan.
• Roast turkey 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Cover entire turkey loosely with heavy-duty foil and roast until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F or until juices rum clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with skewer, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 2 hours 25 minutes for unstuffed turkey (2 hours 55 minutes for stuffed turkey). Transfer turkey to platter. Tent turkey with aluminum foil and let stand 30 minutes; reserve mixture in pan for gravy.
• Make gravy:
• Stain pan juices into large measuring cup, pressing on solids with back of spoon. Spoon fat from pan juices. Add enough chicken broth to pan juices to measure 3 cups. Transfer liquid to heavy medium saucepan and bring to boil. Mix 3 tablespoons reserved maple butter and flour in small bowl to form smooth paste. Whisk paste into broth mixture. Add chopped fresh thyme and bay leaf. Boil until reduces to sauce consistency, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes. Mix in apple brandy, if desired. Season gravy to taste with salt and pepper.
• Brush turkey with any remaining maple butter and serve with gravy.

Steps:

• For turkey:
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Combine first 5 ingredients in small saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; bring liquid to boil. Set liquid aside.
• Mix 2 quartered apples, onion, thyme, sage leaves and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in large bowl.
• Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Sprinkle main cavity with salt and pepper. Spoon apple mixture into main cavity. Tuck wing tips under turkey; tie legs together loosely. Place turkey in large roasting pan. Rub turkey breast and legs with butter. Pour half of basting liquid over turkey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Roast turkey 30 minutes. Pour remaining basting liquid over turkey. Roast 2 hours, basting frequently with pan juices and adding 1 cup (or more) water to pan if juices have evaporated. Add all apple slices to pan juices around turkey. Cover turkey loosely with foil to keep from browning too quickly. Continue to roast until apples are tender, turkey is deep brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, basting frequently with pan juices, about 1 hour 30 minutes longer.
• Transfer turkey to platter. Tent loosely with foil; let stand 30 minutes (internal temperature of turkey will increase 5 to 10 degrees).
• For gravy:
• Using slotted spoon, transfer apples from pan juices to bowl. Pour pan juices into 4-cup measuring cup. Spoon off fat and discard. Add enough chicken broth to pan juices to measure 4 cups. Transfer broth mixture to large saucepan; simmer 5 minutes. Add reserved apples; simmer 2 minutes. Mix apple cider and cornstarch in small bowl. Whisk into gravy. Boil until gravy thickens, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Discard mixture from turkey cavity. Serve turkey with gravy.

Steps:

• For turkey:
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°F
• Combine first 5 ingredients in small saucepan.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; bring liquid to boil.
• Set liquid aside.
• Mix 2 quartered apples, onion, thyme, sage leaves and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in large bowl.
• Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry.
• Sprinkle main cavity with salt and pepper.
• Spoon apple mixture into main cavity.
• Tuck wing tips under turkey; tie legs together loosely.
• Place turkey in large roasting pan.
• Rub turkey breast and legs with butter.
• Pour half of basting liquid over turkey.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Roast turkey 30 minutes.
• Pour remaining basting liquid over turkey.
• Roast 2 hours, basting frequently with pan juices and adding 1 cup (or more) water to pan if juices have evaporated.
• Add all apple slices to pan juices around turkey.
• Cover turkey loosely with foil to keep from browning too quickly.
• Continue to roast until apples are tender, turkey is deep brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, basting frequently with pan juices, about 1 hour 30 minutes longer.
• Transfer turkey to platter.
• Tent loosely with foil; let stand 30 minutes (internal temperature of turkey will increase 5 to 10 degrees).
• For gravy:
• Using slotted spoon, transfer apples from pan juices to bowl.
• Pour pan juices into 4-cup measuring cup.
• Spoon off fat and discard.
• Add enough chicken broth to pan juices to measure 4 cups.
• Transfer broth mixture to large saucepan; simmer 5 minutes.
• Add reserved apples; simmer 2 minutes.
• Mix apple cider and cornstarch in small bowl.
• Whisk into gravy.
• Boil until gravy thickens, about 2 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Discard mixture from turkey cavity.
• Serve turkey with gravy.

Steps:

• Make turkey:
• Stir jelly, 1/2 cup butter, apple juice concentrate and 2 tablespoons tarragon in small saucepan over medium heat until butter and jelly melt. Remove glaze from heat. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature and rewhisk before using.)
• Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 375°F. Place small rack in center of large roasting pan. Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion and carrot; saut until dark brown, about 12 minutes. Sprinkle vegetables and turkey neck pieces around rack in pan.
• Stir remaining 6 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons tarragon in heavy small saucepan until butter melts. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey on rack in pan. Starting at neck end, slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin. Brush 3 tablespoons tarragon butter over breast meat under skin. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing loosely into main cavity. Brush remaining tarragon butter over outside of turkey. Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper. Tuck wing tips under turkey; tie legs together to hold shape.
• Roast turkey 45 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; add 1 cup broth to pan. Cover turkey loosely with foil. Roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F., adding 1 cup broth and basting with pan juices every 1/2 hour and brushing with 1/3 cup glaze twice during last 2 hours, about 4 1/4 hours longer if unstuffed or 4 3/4 hours longer if stuffed.
• Transfer turkey to platter. Tent with foil; let stand 1/2 hour. Reserve pan juices.
• Make gravy:
• Mix 1/2 cup glaze and flour in small bowl to blend. Strain pan juices into large measuring cup, pressing on solids; spoon off fat. Add enough broth to measure 6 cups.
• Sauté bacon in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Pour off fat. Add broth mixture to saucepan and bring to boil. Whisk in glaze-flour mixture and tarragon, then applejack. Simmer until thickened to sauce, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.