Spatched Turkey with Turkey Scrap Gravy
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Images
Serves
Makes 10 servings
Ingredients
- 1 (10- to 12-lb) turkey with giblets
- 1 bunch tarragon, leaves and stems, divided
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup apple brandy or Cognac
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Procedure
Using poultry shears or a heavy knife, remove turkey backbone and wing tips. Cut backbone in half crosswise.
In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add bones, giblets and tarragon stems. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours. Strain into a clean pot and keep warm.
Heat oven to 500°F.
Place turkey breast-side up in a roasting pan or on top of a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Rub turkey with half the butter. Season with 2 tablespoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce oven to 350°F. Continue to roast, basing with pan drippings every 30 minutes for another 1 - 1 ½ hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reaches 165°F-175°F.
Remove turkey from oven and transfer to a large cutting board to rest for about 20 minutes.
Place roasting pan directly over two burners on low heat (if roasting on a sheet tray, pour drippings into a large skillet).
Add flour and whisk to make a roux. Continue to whisk until golden, about 5 minutes. Add brandy and cook until almost dry. Slowing whisk in 4 cups of stock. Continue to cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Carve turkey. Pour a little gravy on the bottom of a serving platter, top with turkey and scatter with chopped tarragon. Serve with extra gravy on the side.
In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add bones, giblets and tarragon stems. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours. Strain into a clean pot and keep warm.
Heat oven to 500°F.
Place turkey breast-side up in a roasting pan or on top of a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Rub turkey with half the butter. Season with 2 tablespoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce oven to 350°F. Continue to roast, basing with pan drippings every 30 minutes for another 1 - 1 ½ hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reaches 165°F-175°F.
Remove turkey from oven and transfer to a large cutting board to rest for about 20 minutes.
Place roasting pan directly over two burners on low heat (if roasting on a sheet tray, pour drippings into a large skillet).
Add flour and whisk to make a roux. Continue to whisk until golden, about 5 minutes. Add brandy and cook until almost dry. Slowing whisk in 4 cups of stock. Continue to cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Carve turkey. Pour a little gravy on the bottom of a serving platter, top with turkey and scatter with chopped tarragon. Serve with extra gravy on the side.
- Tips:
- Ask your butcher to spatch your turkey (and save the bones, of course!)
- Some turkeys also come sold with the neck. Throw that bad boy in your stock pot, too.
- Let your turkey rest at room temperature for about 1 hour before roasting. Bonus: your stock will get a head start just in time for gravy-making time.
Spatched Turkey with Turkey Scrap Gravy
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Serves
Makes 10 servings
Ingredients
- 1 (10- to 12-lb) turkey with giblets
- 1 bunch tarragon, leaves and stems, divided
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup apple brandy or Cognac
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Procedure
Using poultry shears or a heavy knife, remove turkey backbone and wing tips. Cut backbone in half crosswise.
In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add bones, giblets and tarragon stems. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours. Strain into a clean pot and keep warm.
Heat oven to 500°F.
Place turkey breast-side up in a roasting pan or on top of a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Rub turkey with half the butter. Season with 2 tablespoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce oven to 350°F. Continue to roast, basing with pan drippings every 30 minutes for another 1 - 1 ½ hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reaches 165°F-175°F.
Remove turkey from oven and transfer to a large cutting board to rest for about 20 minutes.
Place roasting pan directly over two burners on low heat (if roasting on a sheet tray, pour drippings into a large skillet).
Add flour and whisk to make a roux. Continue to whisk until golden, about 5 minutes. Add brandy and cook until almost dry. Slowing whisk in 4 cups of stock. Continue to cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Carve turkey. Pour a little gravy on the bottom of a serving platter, top with turkey and scatter with chopped tarragon. Serve with extra gravy on the side.
In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add bones, giblets and tarragon stems. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours. Strain into a clean pot and keep warm.
Heat oven to 500°F.
Place turkey breast-side up in a roasting pan or on top of a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Rub turkey with half the butter. Season with 2 tablespoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce oven to 350°F. Continue to roast, basing with pan drippings every 30 minutes for another 1 - 1 ½ hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reaches 165°F-175°F.
Remove turkey from oven and transfer to a large cutting board to rest for about 20 minutes.
Place roasting pan directly over two burners on low heat (if roasting on a sheet tray, pour drippings into a large skillet).
Add flour and whisk to make a roux. Continue to whisk until golden, about 5 minutes. Add brandy and cook until almost dry. Slowing whisk in 4 cups of stock. Continue to cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Carve turkey. Pour a little gravy on the bottom of a serving platter, top with turkey and scatter with chopped tarragon. Serve with extra gravy on the side.
- Tips:
- Ask your butcher to spatch your turkey (and save the bones, of course!)
- Some turkeys also come sold with the neck. Throw that bad boy in your stock pot, too.
- Let your turkey rest at room temperature for about 1 hour before roasting. Bonus: your stock will get a head start just in time for gravy-making time.