Roast Thanksgiving Turkey Basted with Fruit Juices and Marsala Gravy

• Make Chestnut Stuffing with Shiitake Mushrooms, Apricots and Fresh Herbs or Karen’s Southern Cornbread Stuffing with Chestnuts, Dried Cherries & Herbs (Can be made the day before.)
• See below about Brining a Turkey.

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the turkey inside and out with the lemon, then discard. Fill the body and neck cavity with the stuffing* (see recipe.) Do not fill too tightly, put the extra stuffing in a separate oiled baking pan to heat later. (Or do not stuff, make on the side.)

  Truss the turkey and tie the legs together firmly. Rub the turkey all over with 2 t. oil, and then the salt and pepper.

  *If stuffing the turkey – the cooking time is raised by about 30 minutes. You may cook the stuffing in a baking pan to hold – basting with a little broth, and uncovering at the end for a cripsy top.
• Scatter the carrots, celery, onions and garlic on the bottom of a heavy roasting pan. Place the turkey, breast side DOWN on a V – rack.

  IF turkey is larger than 16 pounds, NO NEED to start breast side down; Add turkey to rack breast side up entire roasting time.

  Roast until the vegetables are very golden, DO NOT ADD BROTH TO THE PAN UNTIL THE VEGETABLES HAVE DEVELOPED A RICH COLOR and CARMELIZED – about 1 hour. Do not rush this step!

  Do not burn the vegetables, but you will want a deep colored and flavored gravy – the vegetables must be dark in color.
• Add 3 cups of chicken broth to the bottom of the pan with the fresh herbs (sage, tarragon & thyme.) Carefully turn the turkey over (if under 16 pounds), breast side up and baste with the pomegranate and pineapple juice (a pastry brush is useful.) Roast until the juices run clear. Baste occasionally, alternating with the pan juices and the fruit juices. The fruit juices will give the turkey a beautiful mahogany color.
• Tent with foil in the last hour if the turkey gets too dark. Insert a meat thermometer in the breast, it should read 165 degrees (the thermometer should not be placed near a bone.) When pierced, the juices will run clear.  A 14 lb. turkey should take about 3 hours to cook, 20 minutes per lb. A 16 pound turkey should take about 3 1/2 hours. Allow a little extra time for a turkey that is well stuffed, about 30 minutes longer.
• Make Karen’s Marsala Turkey Gravy – see recipe. It's amazing, and makes the meal! You will strain the most flavofful broth from the bottom of the pan!
• Cooking a larger turkey? For an 20 – 22 pound turkey – add 1/2 more of all ingredients.

Why to Brine a Turkey:

• Soaking a turkey overnight in a solution of salt and water ensures moist results. When you add aromatics to the brine, the resulting roast is also infused with a subtle character all its own. Some say: The greatest advantage of wet brining is that it results in the juiciest possible, while others express – it’s juicy, but the juice is watery. A wet turkey can be slow to brown, so for the best results, remove the turkey from the brine at least 6 hours before you plan to roast and rinse it, if desired, then pat it dry and let it sit in the refrigerator, uncovered in order to dry the surface.

Wet Brining Easy Recipe:

• Brine: Bring 1/2 cup water to boil. Add it to your largest pot which will hold your turkey. Add your flavoring: 1/2 cup salt, 1/4 cup pure cane sugar, a few broken bay leaves, a dozen whole cloves, 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, 1/2 bunch fresh thyme. Stir all well until the sugar dissolves. Add your cleaned turkey, then cover with cool filtered water. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Pat dry when ready to roast – best if you can remove it from the brine 6 hours ahead to dry. Alternatively, you can pat the turkey dry and allow it to stand at room temperature 1 hour. Drying the turkey assures a crispier skin. (Many recipes call for LOTS of sugar and salt. My method works well!)
• Let the turkey cool before carving. At least 20 minutes for a medium bird; 40 minutes for a large one.

• Below, my method of making gravy – and tips on roasting the turkey.
• OVERVIEW – Basic Marsala Turkey Gravy (this is what you will do): Add vegetables to the bottom of turkey in pan. Roast until vegetables are very dark golden, about 45 minutes – 1 hour. Add broth and herbs – return to the oven. When turkey is done, strain the broth from the bottom of the pan, pressing on the solids.

  This is your flavorful broth for making the Marsala Turkey Gravy.
• Remove turkey from v-rack to a carving board. Let rest before carving. Strain the broth in the pan into a bowl, press hard on the solids to extract all the flavor from the vegetables. Measure the broth, add a little more broth to equal 3 cups if needed.
• Finish the Marsala Gravy:

  In a two quart heavy sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk over low-medium heat for 1 minute, until just lightly colored. This roux is the thickening base for the gravy.

  Add only ONE cup of broth, raise heat to high, whisk consistently until thick. 

  Add the remaining 2 cups of broth, the marsala wine, salt, pepper and the herb sprig.
• Bring to a boil, whisking, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook 15 minutes until thickened. Taste for seasonings. Add more stock if too thick, reduce more if too thin.
• Platter the sliced turkey, drizzle some gravy over, and serve the remainder in a gravy boat to pass.
• NOTE: If you do not let the vegetables develop a dark color on the bottom of the pan while roasting the turkey – then you will end up with a gravy with a sad, tan color, similar to what you get out of a can. Yuck!
• Your finished gravy should be a deep, rich mahogany- brown color.

  See full Turkey recipe below: Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey Basted with Fruit Juices and Marsala Gravy