Food Network: Brined Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy

	Print 4x6 Recipe Cards
	Print this recipe out and cut along the dotted lines to add this 4x6 recipe card to your personal collection.

Brined Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy
Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, 2003

Ingredients
Brine:
1 gallon water
1/2 ounce ground cloves
1/2 ounce ground ginger
4 ounces cracked black peppercorns
12 bay leaves
1 pound kosher salt
24 ounces honey
24 ounces maple syrup

1 (10-pound) whole fresh turkey, giblets and neck removed and reserved for stock
1 stick butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves

2 apples, quartered and cored
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 rosemary sprigs
3 sprigs sage
Olive oil, for drizzling

1 cup cubed carrots
1 cup cubed celery
1 cup cubed onions
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup Madeira wine
4 cups turkey stock, recipe follows
1 sprig thyme
2 sprigs parsley
Beurre manie (2 ounces butter mixed with 2 ounces flour until it forms a soft dough)
Salt and pepper

Instructions

In a large stockpot, bring the water, cloves, ginger, black peppercorn,
bay leaves and salt to a boil. Lower to a simmer and stir in the honey and maple syrup until well
blended. Turn off heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold tap water. Reserve the neck and specialty meats for pan
gravy. Set the turkey in the brine, making sure that the turkey is fully immersed in the brine.
Place a weight on top of the turkey to make sure it is always covered with brine. Marinate for at
least 4 hours to overnight, depending on the weight of the turkey, in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a shallow roasting pan, place the carrots, celery and onions. Remove turkey from brine.

Mix together the butter, garlic, chopped rosemary, and sage to make a compound butter. Using your
hands, loosen to the skin from the breast by gently inserting your fingers between the skin and the
flesh. Rub the compound butter underneath the skin. Insert the apples, onions, and whole rosemary
and sage into the cavity of the turkey.

Place the turkey over the vegetables, breast-side up, in the roasting pan. Tuck the wings back and
under the turkey. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together. This will make a compact shape and
will create a great presentation. Drizzle the turkey with olive oil and rub it into the skin. Roast
the turkey to at least 165 degrees F in the breast, about 2 1/2 hours. If the skin gets too dark
during roasting, tent with foil.

Transfer turkey to a platter and allow to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the pan gravy.

Tilt the pan and skim as much fat as possible off the juice with a spoon. Set the pan on 2 burners
set on medium heat. Deglaze roasting pan with white wine and Madeira. Scrape the bottom of the pan
to loosen any brown bits. Reduce until only a quarter remains. Add the turkey stock, thyme and
parsley. Bring to a boil and strain into a saucepan. Bring back to a boil, skim and lower to a
simmer. Whisk in the beurre manie until well incorporated and continue to cook until gravy has
thickened. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Turkey Stock:
Giblets and neck from 1 turkey

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup port wine
1 cup roughly chopped onions
1/2 cup roughly chopped carrots
1/2 cup roughly chopped celery
2 sprigs rosemary
5 peppercorns
Water, to cover

Heat a saucepan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil
and heat. Add the neck and giblets and cook until browned all over, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan
from the heat and deglaze with the port. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the port is
almost completely evaporated, about 10 minutes.

Add the carrots, onions, celery, rosemary and peppercorns. Cover with cold water by 4-inches. Bring
to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer for 2 hours, adding a little more water, if
necessary. Skim any scum that rises to the surface of the stock and discard.

Strain the stock. Use immediately, or cool and refrigerate for up to 4 days.