Roast Turkey With Corn Bread Stuffing And Giblet Gravy

Total Time: 5 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 4 quarts water
• 1 cup coarse salt
• 18 lbs turkey, neck and giblets reserved for giblet broth
• 1 cup butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• chopped turkey neck meat and giblets reserved from giblet broth
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons brandy
• 2 tablespoons butter
• neck and giblets reserved from 18-pound turkey (discard liver, if desired)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup dry wine
• leek ( and pale green parts only)
• 8 parsley sprigs thyme
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 whole cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorn

Recipe

• 1 for turkey:.
• 2 combine 4 quarts water and 1 cup coarse salt in very large bowl.
• 3 let stand until salt dissolves, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• 4 place turkey in salted water, turning to coat.
• 5 let turkey stand at room temperature 2 hours, turning occasionally.
• 6 rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels.
• 7 place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan.
• 8 tuck wings under turkey body.
• 9 position oven rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°f
• 10 whisk butter, orange juice, lemon juice, thyme, orange peel, lemon peel, 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in medium bowl until well blended.
• 11 rub 1/4 cup thyme butter inside turkey.
• 12 spoon stuffing loosely into main cavity and neck cavity.
• 13 generously rub remaining thyme butter over turkey.
• 14 tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey.
• 15 roast turkey until golden, basting occasionally with pan drippings, about 2 hours.
• 16 cover entire turkey loosely with heavy-duty foil and roast until meat thermometer inserted into innermost part of thigh registers 180°f or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with skewer, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 1 1/2 hours longer.
• 17 transfer turkey to platter.
• 18 tent turkey with foil and let stand while preparing gravy.
• 19 for gravy:.
• 20 strain pan juices from roasting pan into large glass measuring cup.
• 21 spoon fat off top of pan juices.
• 22 pour juices and giblet broth into heavy medium saucepan.
• 23 boil broth mixture until reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes.
• 24 melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.
• 25 add flour; cook until golden brown, stirring often, about 3 minutes.
• 26 whisk in reduced broth mixture.
• 27 simmer until gravy thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• 28 season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 29 add reserved chopped neck meat and giblets, eggs and brandy; simmer 5 minutes longer.
• 30 transfer to bowl.
• 31 serve gravy with turkey.
• 32 for giblet broth:.
• 33 melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
• 34 add neck and giblets; saute until brown, about 10 minutes.
• 35 using slotted spoon, transfer neck and giblets to plate.
• 36 add carrots, onion and celery to pot.
• 37 saute until vegetables brown, about 10 minutes.
• 38 add water, wine, neck and giblets to vegetables; bring to boil.
• 39 add all remaining ingredients to pot.
• 40 reduce heat to medium-low; partially cover and simmer until giblets are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 41 using slotted spoon, transfer neck and giblets to plate.
• 42 cool.
• 43 carefully remove all meat from turkey neck.
• 44 chop neck meat and giblets; reserve for gravy.
• 45 strain broth into bowl, pressing on solids. (broth and giblets can be made 1 day ahead. cover separately and chill.)
• 46 makes about 3 1/2 cups.