Turkey with glazed fruit - country living

12 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
8 cups To 10 C homemade or prepared-from-mix stuffing
1 12-lb fresh or thawed frozen turkey
2 tablespoons Butter, melted, or olive oil
¼ teaspoon Salt
Gravy (recipe follows)
Glazed Fruit (separate recipe)
Fresh sage leaves

Directions

NOTE: When purchasing a Thanksgiving turkey, select a bird whose weight corresponds to the number of guests you have invited to dinner. If, for instance, you're expecting 12 people, buy a 12-lb turkey. Frozen turkeys should be thawed in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. If you need a larger or smaller turkey than the one in this recipe, follow these directions, but consult TIMETABLE FOR ROASTING TURKEY for the proper roasting time. If you have extra stuffing, bake it in a casserole during the last 30 to 45 minutes of the turkey's roasting time.

1. Prepare stuffing; set aside. Remove turkey's giblets and neck from body and neck cavities; rinse and reserve to make gravy. Rinse turkey with cold water; drain.

2. Heat oven to 325'F. In shallow roasting pan or dark enamel roaster with lid, place turkey, breast side up, on rack.

3. Lightly fill neck cavity of turkey with stuffing; skewer skin to back. Tuck wing tips under shoulder joints. Spoon remaining stuffing lightly into body cavity. If cavity opening has a band of skin across it, push ends of drumsticks under it. Otherwise, tie drumstick ends securely together with string. Brush turkey with butter. Sprinkle with salt. Insert meat thermometer into center of inside thigh muscle, making sure not to touch bone.

4. If using roasting pan, tear off piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil 2 to 3 inches longer than the turkey, then place, tent style, over turkey. Pinch foil lightly at legs to anchor. If using enamel roaster, cover with lid.

5. Roast turkey 4 to 4½ hours, basting occasionally with pan drippings, or until thermometer registers 185'F and drumstick moves easily. Stuffing should register 165'F.

6. Meanwhile, start Gravy and prepare Glazed Fruit. When turkey is done, remove to warm platter; surround with Glazed Fruit and sage.

Let turkey rest 10 minutes in a warm place before carving. Meanwhile, finish preparing gravy and serve with turkey.

Gravy: One hour before turkey is done, in 2-quart saucepan, cook reserved neck and giblets from Step 1 in 1 t vegetable oil over medium heat until well browned, stirring occasionally. (If desired, exclude the liver, wrap, and freeze for another use.) Stir 1 small onion, chopped, 1 carrot, sliced, and 1 bay leaf into neck and giblets; add enough water to cover. Heat to boiling over high heat; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 1 hour to make broth. When turkey has been removed to platter, skim off all but 3 T fat from drippings in roasting pan. Strain broth through a large sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl, discarding neck, giblets, and vegetables. Measure strained broth. Add water to make 4 C or return to saucepan and cook over medium heat until reduced to 4 C. Set broth aside. Into the roasting pan with the reserved fat, stir ⅓ C unsifted all-purpose flour until well mixed. Gradually stir in broth and cook over medium-low heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in ½ t salt and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Pour gravy into a small pitcher.

Country Living/November/1994 Scanned & edited by Di Pahl & <gg>

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