Dry-Brined Roasted Turkey with Sage and Cider Gravy

While I am perfectly happy with the simple roasted turkey that I have been teaching for years (cover the breast with foil and kiss worries about dry white meat good-bye), I do want to acknowledge other cooking methods. Salting the bird a day ahead does a nice job of seasoning the turkey without overwhelming it with unnecessary flavors. turkey stock

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 small celery r b, chopped

1 small carrot, chopped

2 large turkey wings (about 1 pound each , chopped between the joints (optional)

2 quarts canned low-sod um chicken broth

4 parsley sprigs

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon dried peppercorns

1 bay leaf

dry brine rub
• 6 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1¼ teaspoons dried thyme
• 1¼ teaspoons dried rubbed sage
• 1¼ teaspoons crumbled dried rosemary
• 1¼ teaspoons dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves, we crumbled
• Cornbread Stuffing with Dried Fruits and Hazelnuts
  or about 10 cups of your favorite stuffiing
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more if needed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ cup all -purpose fl our
• ½ cup hard apple cider
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage

• One 16- to 18- pound fresh turkey

• The day before roasting the turkey, remove the neck and giblets from the turkey. Using a heavy knife or a cleaver, chop the neck into 2-inch chunks. Discard the liver, or save for another use. Pull out the yellow fat pads on either side of the tail (some producers remove these), cover, and refrigerate. Set the turkey aside.
• To make the turkey stock, heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the turkey neck and giblets and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. If using the wings, add them to the pot at this point, but no need to brown them. Add the broth and enough cold water to cover the turkey parts by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Add the parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until the stock is full-flavored, about 3 hours. Strain through a wire sieve into a bowl. You should have about 2½ quarts broth; add more chicken broth or water, if necessary. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• To make the dry brine rub, mix the salt, thyme, sage, rosemary, marjoram, ground pepper, and bay leaves in a small bowl. Rinse the turkey inside and out, but do not pat dry. Place the turkey in a turkey-size oven roasting bag. Sprinkle the dry brine inside and on the outside of the bird, coating it evenly. Close the bag and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
• The next day, position a rack in the lowest position of the oven and preheat to 325 F. Scrape off and discard the solidified fat on the surface of the stock. Transfer the stock to a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove the stock from the heat.
• Remove the turkey from the bag and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Pat the turkey skin dry. Turn the turkey on its breast. Loosely fill the neck cavity with stuffing (or with the chopped vegetable mixture; see Variation). Using a thin wooden or metal skewer, pin the turkey’s neck skin to the back. Fold the turkey’s wings akimbo behind the back or tie to the body with kitchen string. Turn the turkey over. Loosely fill the large body cavity with stuffing. Place any remaining stuffing in a lightly buttered casserole, cover, and refrigerate to bake later as a side dish. Place the drumsticks in the hock lock (the metal or plastic implement that some producers insert in the tail area) or tie together with kitchen string.
• Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Rub all over with the softened butter. Season with salt and pepper. Tightly cover the breast area with aluminum foil. Pour 2 cups of the turkey stock into the bottom of the pan. Add the reserved turkey fat to the pan.
• Roast the turkey, basting all over every 45 minutes or so with the juices on the bottom of the pan (lift up the foil to reach the breast area), until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh (but not touching a bone) reads 180˚F and the stuffing is at least 160˚F, about 4 hours. (See Estimated Roasting Times, page 51.) Whenever the drippings evaporate to a brown glaze, add stock or water to moisten them (about 1 cup at a time). During the last hour, remove the foil and baste a couple of times with the pan juices.
• Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter and let it stand for at least 30 minutes before carving. Increase the oven temperature to 350˚F. Drizzle ½ cup of the turkey stock over the stuffing in the casserole, cover, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a heat-proof glass bowl or measuring cup. Let stand for 5 minutes; then skim off and reserve the clear yellow fat that rises to the top. Measure 9 tablespoons fat, into a small bowl, adding melted butter if needed. Add enough turkey stock to the skimmed drippings to make 6 cups total.
• Place the roasting pan over two stove burners on low heat and add the 9 tablespoons of turkey fat. Whisk in the flour, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cider, and then the stock mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, whisking often, until the gravy has thickened and no trace of raw fl our flavor remains, about 5 minutes. Strain into a clean 2-quart measuring cup. Season the gravy with salt and pepper, then stir in the sage. Pour into a warmed gravy boat. Carve the turkey and serve the stuffing and gravy alongside.