Wk 28 – Roast Turkey with Cider-Rosemary Gravy

This year for Thanksgiving, I was given the pleasure of cooking the family turkey.  After looking at several recipes…here’s the one that I decided on.  The flavor was delicious and Andy loved the added touch of the bacon.

Roast Turkey with Cider-Rosemary Gravy

• 1 16-pound fresh or frozen turkey, thawed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
• 1 Golden delicious apple, coarsely chopped
• 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
• 6 center-cut bacon slices
• 1 1/4 cups apple cider, divided
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Garnish: rosemary sprigs

Remove giblets and neck, and rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry.  Sprinkle cavity with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Place turkey, breast side up, in a roasting pan.  lightly stuff turkey body cavity with coarsely chopped onion, celery, apple, and 3 rosemary sprigs.  Rub turkey with butter.

Loosen skin from turkey breast without totally detaching skin; carefully slip bacon slices under skin.  Replace skin, using wooden picks to fasten skin over breast meat.  Tie ends of legs together with heavy string, or tuck under flap of skin.  Lift wing tips up and over back, and tuck under bird.  Pour 3/4 cup apple cider over turkey.

Bake turkey, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees, bake 2 hours and 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 180 degrees, basting often with pan juices.  Shield turkey with heavy-duty aluminum foil during cooking, if necessary, to prevent over browning.

Transfer turkey to a serving platter; cover loosely with foil.  Scrape roasting pan to remove browned bits; pour pan drippings into a gravy separator.  Discard fat, reserving 2 tablespoons.

heat reserved 2 tablespoons fat in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add finely chopped onion, garlic, and 2 teaspoons rosemary; saute 2 minutes or until tender.  Reduce heat to medium; add flour, and cook 1 minute.  Whisk in pan drippings and remaining 1/2 cup cider.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes or until gravy thickens.  Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Serve gravy with turkey.  Garnish if desired.

Note: For ease in removing hot turkey from roasting pan, wear clean heat-resistant rubber gloves.  They shield the heat and enable you to get a firm grip on the bird.