Roast Turkey with Madeira Gravy


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member ratings
Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 12
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 248.0
  • Total Fat: 9.6 g
  • Cholesterol: 84.1 mg
  • Sodium: 313.9 mg
  • Total Carbs: 2.6 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 0.3 g
  • Protein: 32.7 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Roast Turkey with Madeira Gravy calories by ingredient


Introduction

The original turkey recipe was from Eating Well Magazine's November/December 1996 issue and full of flavor. My husband and I have updated it through the years to add brining and to change the roasting time. We've even been known to turn die hard vegetarians with this recipe. Guaranteed to never be dry. The instructions are step by step for even those new to cooking. The original turkey recipe was from Eating Well Magazine's November/December 1996 issue and full of flavor. My husband and I have updated it through the years to add brining and to change the roasting time. We've even been known to turn die hard vegetarians with this recipe. Guaranteed to never be dry. The instructions are step by step for even those new to cooking.
Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients

    1 quart kosher salt
    4 frozen ice gel packs -- clean disposable (optional)
    1/2 cup parsley -- chopped
    1/4 cup thyme -- chopped
    1/4 cup Rosemary -- chopped
    1/4 cup shallot -- finely chopped
    1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 dash salt -- to taste
    1 dash pepper -- to taste
    12 pounds turkey -- young hen
    2 medium onion
    2 medium carrot -- chopped
    2 medium celery stalks -- chopped
    3 cups chicken broth
    1/4 cup dry white wine
    1/2 cup madeira
    1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

Remove giblets and neck from the turkey cavity and reserve for the stock; discard the liver. Remove any visible fat from the turkey. Dissolve 4 cups kosher salt in 2 gallons of water in a large stockpot or bucket lined with trash bag. Place turkey breast down in brine. Store in fridge or put 4 to 5 frozen gel packs in brine and cover with foil. Soak for 8 hours or overnight.

Set oven rack in the bottom of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees. Spray a large roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine parsley, thyme, rosemary, shallots and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season with salt and a generous grinding of pepper.

Remove turkey from brine, rinse well under running water and pat dry inside and out. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Quarter one of the onions and place in the cavity. With your fingers, separate the turkey skin from the breast meat, taking care not to tear the skin or pierce the meat. Smear the herb mixture between the flesh and skin on both sides of the breastbone. Coat bird liberally with canola oil.
Tie the drumsticks together and tuck the wing tips behind the back. Set the turkey breast-side up in the prepared roasting pan. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a giblet stock: In a large heavy saucepan, heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Coarsely chop the remaining onion and
add it , along with carrots, celery and the turkey neck and giblets, to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 15 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer partially covered, for 30 minutes. Strain the giblets' stock through
a fine sieve (you should have about 2 cups). Chill until ready to use. (To save time, make the broth ahead of time with turkey wings and necks and freeze.)

After turkey has roasted for 30 minutes, remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees. Set
thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14-16 lb bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

While the bird is resting, pour the drippings from the roasting pan through a strainer into a small bowl, then place the bowl in the freezer for 20 minutes to solidify the fat. Add Madeira to the roasting pan and cook, stirring and
scraping up any brown bits, for about 1 minute; strain into a medium saucepan. Skim the fat from the giblet stock and add to the pan. Skim the fat from the chilled pan juices and add to the pan as well. Bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water and slowly add to the simmering sauce, whisking until the gravy has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Remove strings from turkey and carve, discarding the skin. Serve with the Madeira gravy.


Number of Servings: 12

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user MADGEB.

Member Ratings For This Recipe


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    Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    I JUST MADE THIS FOR TONIGHT'S SUPPER AND TASTED IT FOR SEASONING! IT IS AMAZING EXACTLY AS PRINTED. DON'T CHANGE A THING! - 3/6/14