Salted Roast Turkey With Herbs And Shallot Dijon Gravy Recipes

SALTED ROAST TURKEY WITH HERBS

Steps:

• Herbed Salt: Rub first six ingredients in small bowl to crush herbs finely, or put in small food processor. Can be made a week in advanced. Cover and store at room temperature. Stir in peel before using.
• Turkey: Rinse turkey inside and out (do not pat dry). Remove excess fat, neck and giblets, wrap and refrigerate to reserve for roast or making gravy. Place turkey in a roasting bag and sprinkle inside and out with all of the herbed salt. Close bag, place on cookie sheet and chill 18 - 24 hours.
• Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 325°F Rinse turkey inside and out; pat very dry. Stir onion and next 5 ingredients into a bowl and stuff turkey in main cavity and neck cavity. Fold neck skin over cavity and secure with a skewer. Tuck wing tips under and tie legs together loosely. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan. Spread butter all over turkey. Place reserved fat, neck and giblets into bottom of roaster and pour 2 cups of chicken stock.
• Roast turkey 45 minutes. Baste with pan juices. Continue to roast until thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 - 170°F, basting every 45 minutes and adding additional stock or water if the pan becomes dry. Tent loosely with foil if browning too quickly, roasting 3-3 1/2 hours total. Transfer turkey to a platter and tent with foil, letting rest for 45 minutes. Reserve juices in pan for making your favorite gravy.

HERB-ROASTED TURKEY WITH SHALLOT PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Mix butter, chopped parsley, chopped sage, chopped thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl to blend. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Transfer herb butter to small bowl; cover and refrigerate. Bring butter to room temperature before using.) Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Sprinkle main cavity of turkey with salt and pepper. Place whole parsley, sage and thyme sprigs and 4 shallot halves in cavity. Starting at neck end, carefully slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin. Spread 3 tablespoons herb butter over breast meat under skin. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together to hold shape. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Rub 4 tablespoons herb butter over turkey. Cover only breast area of turkey with sheet of heavy-duty foil. Scatter remaining shallots in pan around turkey.
• Roast turkey 30 minutes; baste with 1/2 cup broth. Continue roasting turkey for 1 1/2 hours, basting with 1/2 cup broth every 30 minutes. Remove foil from over turkey breast. Continue to roast turkey until golden brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes, about 1 hour longer. Transfer turkey to platter. Brush with 1 tablespoon herb butter. Tent loosely with foil; let stand 20 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer shallots from roasting pan to plate. Pour pan juices into medium bowl; spoon off fat and discard. Add wine and 1 cup chicken broth to roasting pan. Set pan directly over 2 burners and bring broth mixture to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Continue to boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes; pour into large glass measuring cup. Add degreased pan juices. Add enough broth if necessary to equal 3 cups liquid.
• Blend flour into remaining herb butter. Pour broth mixture into heavy medium saucepan and bring to boil. Gradually whisk in herb butter mixture. Add any accumulated juices from turkey platter. Boil until gravy thickens enough to coat spoon lightly, whisking occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add shallots to gravy; simmer 1 minute. Season gravy with salt and pepper. Serve turkey with gravy.