THANKSGIVING TURKEY
NOTE: Thaw your turkey in the refrigerator. (A 15 lb/6.8 kg turkey will need to thaw for 3-4 days prior to roasting)
Ingredients:
- 1 Turkey – 15 lbs (6.8 kg)
- ½ cup (125 mL) softened butter
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 whole onion- peeled
- Fresh sage leaves
- 3 large onions, peeled and sliced into 1 inch slices
- 2 large carrots cut in half lengthwise
- 4 stalks of celery
Method:
- Remove the turkey from the package, and pat with paper towels. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Place breast up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and rub with vegetable oil.
- Place the Butterball turkey neck and giblets with the sliced onions, carrots and celery in the roasting pan.
- Place the fresh sage into the turkey cavity with the reserved whole peeled onion.
- Roast uncovered for 3 hours and 30 minutes.
- After 3 hours check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The minimum temperature deep in the thigh should be 180°F (82°C).
- When cooked, remove the turkey from the oven and allow resting for 20 minutes before carving.
- Keep the roasted neck, giblets, celery, carrots and onions in the roasting pan with the turkey until you are ready to make gravy.
- While the turkey is resting, prepare the vegetables.
Yield: serves 12-15 people
Roasted Holiday Vegetables
Reduction Ingredients:
- 3 whole shallots - small dice
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter unsalted
- 1 cup (250 mL) Chardonnay
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) maple syrup
Vegetables:
- 2½ lbs (1.1 kg) mixed rough chopped root vegetables (cut into 1½ inch pieces)
Select 4 of the following vegetables:
- Sweet potatoes
- Pearl onions- whole
- Brussel sprouts- halved
- Winter Squash (pumpkin, butternut or acorn)
- Rutabaga
- Turnip
- Parsnip
- Carrots
- 1 Sprig of fresh rosemary minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Combine all ingredients for the reduction into a small saucepan and place over medium heat.
- Continue to heat and reduce liquid by half.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the assorted chopped vegetables with the fresh rosemary and wine reduction.
- Toss all ingredients together gently and season with salt and cracked black pepper.
- Place the mixed vegetables onto a large roasting pan lined with parchment paper.
- Roast the vegetables until caramelized and tender (approximately 30 minutes).
- While vegetables are roasting, prepare gravy.
Yield: 6 servings
Chef Corbin’s Chardonnay-Infused Gravy
Ingredients:
- 8 Tbsp. (120 mL) all-purpose flour
- 6-8 Tbsp. (90-120 mL) turkey drippings/ fat
- 5 cups (1¼ L) chicken stock
- ½ tsp. (2.5 mL) dry sage
- 1 cup (250 mL) Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Chardonnay
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Remove the roasted turkey neck, giblets and vegetables from the roasting pan and discard.
- Combine the flour and turkey drippings together over medium heat to form a roux.
- Stir and cook together for 3 minutes.
- Add the warm chicken stock and stir with a whisk.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a low simmer for 15 minutes.
- Season the gravy with salt and pepper and add the dry sage.
Cranberry and Italian Sausage Stuffing with Sage and Marjoram
Ingredients:
- 1 large loaf of sourdough bread (cut into inch dice)
- 1 med. sized onion- diced small
- 1 carrot diced small
- 2 stalks of celery diced small
- 2 cloves of garlic minced cup of dried cranberries
- 1 lb of Italian sausage – sliced into small rounds
- 1 cup of flavored chicken stock
- 1 tsp. ground sage
- 1 tsp. marjoram leaves
- 1 tsp. thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat.
- Add the sliced sausage and onion. Saut until the sausage is cooked and the onion is browned.
- Add the other diced vegetables and continue to cook for about 2 more minutes.
- Stir to prevent burning. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- Place the diced sourdough bread in a large mixing bowl and add the sauted vegetables, sage, marjoram, salt and pepper, chicken stock and the dried cranberries.
- Mix well and place into a buttered baking dish. Cover and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and spoon out the dressing and place into a serving bowl. Serve while still hot.
Options:
- Use another type of bread, cornbread works well.
- Add diced peppers.
- Spice it up with some chilies.
- Add chestnuts or other mixed nuts
- Arrange the stuffing around a roasted turkey, use an ice cream scoop to form uniform portions and scoops