Cooking With Chef Hermann: Roast Turkey with Gravy

Roast Turkey with Gravy

Ingredients:

• 1 12-14lb Turkey (Cook about 20 minutes per pound)
• 1.5 Quarts Stock
• 3 apples, quartered
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 1 C Butter, plus extra to rub on turkey
• 1 C Flour
• Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place rack in the lowest position of the oven.

Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Loosely fill the body cavity with the quartered apples and onions.  Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Position an aluminum foil tent over the turkey.

Place turkey in the oven, and pour 2 cups turkey stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 to 2 cups at a time. Remove aluminum foil after 2 1/2 hours. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (75 degrees C), about 4 hours. Drain juice and set aside.  Retain pan with drippings for gravy.

Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

Gravy: Place pan with turkey drippings on stove at moderate high heat.  Add butter and scrape pan as juices get hot.  Add flour and cook into the butter for 5-8 minutes until bubbly, then add cold stock to pan.  Raise heat and stir vigorously as sauce thickens.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Strain and serve.