Chef Johns Roast Turkey And Gravy Food

CHEF JOHN'S MAKE-AHEAD TURKEY GRAVY

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 large turkey wings
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 10 cups cold water
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Combine onion, carrots, celery, and vegetable oil in a large roasting pan and toss to coat. Place turkey wings on top of vegetables
• Place roasting pan in the preheated oven and cook until the turkey wings are browned and vegetables are caramelized and softened, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Transfer turkey wings and vegetables to a large stockpot. Place the roasting pan over a stovetop burner on medium heat. Pour 2 tablespoons cold water into the pan and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer mixture to the stockpot and add 10 cups cold water, thyme, and garlic.
• Bring turkey wing mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until meat falls off the bone, about 3 hours. Skim off turkey fat throughout the process and set aside 2 tablespoons.
• Strain turkey stock and reserve 6 cups of stock; discard all the solids.
• Heat butter and 2 tablespoons reserved turkey fat in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and cook, whisking continuously, until it begins to smell like cooked pie crust, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly pour in turkey stock, whisking continuously. Increase heat to high and simmer until thick and warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.

CHEF JOHN'S ROAST TURKEY AND GRAVY

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets reserved
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped
• 3 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• ½ bunch fresh sage
• ½ cup butter
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups water
• 2 tablespoons turkey fat
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups turkey pan drippings
• ¼ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix 2 tablespoons salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Tuck turkey wings under the bird, and season cavity with about 1 tablespoon of the poultry seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining poultry seasoning mix.
• Toss the onion, celery, and carrots together in a bowl. Stuff about 1/2 cup of the vegetable mixture, rosemary sprigs, and 1/2 bunch sage into the cavity of the turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Loosen the skin on top of the turkey breast using fingers or a small spatula. Place about 2 tablespoons butter under the skin and spread evenly. Spread the remaining butter (about 2 tablespoons) all over the outside of the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with the remaining poultry seasoning mix.
• Spread the remaining onion, celery, and carrots into a large roasting pan. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables. Fill the pan with about 1/2 inch of water. Arrange a sheet of aluminum foil over the breast of the turkey.
• Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Remove the foil during the last hour of cooking. Baste the turkey with the pan juices.
• While the turkey is roasting, make stock: place neck, heart, and gizzards in a saucepan with the bay leaf and water. Simmer over medium heat for 2 hours. Strain the turkey giblets from the stock, and discard giblets. There should be at least 4 cups of stock.
• Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Pour the pan juices, about 3 cups, into a saucepan and set aside. Skim off the turkey fat from the pan juices, reserving about 2 tablespoons.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the turkey fat and 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Transfer the onion from the roasting pan into the skillet. Cook and stir until the onion is browned, about 5 minutes, then stir in the flour. Continue to cook and stir for about 5 minutes more; whisk in 4 cups of the skimmed turkey stock and the reserved pan juices until smooth; skim off any foam. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Simmer until the gravy is thickened, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped sage, and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH GRAVY

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) chicken, giblets removed and reserved
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, parsley, rosemary or any combination
• 2 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the lemon, herbs, and half of the carrots, onions, and celery. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and fold the wing tips under the back. Place the remaining carrots, onion, and celery in the center of a roasting pan just large enough to accommodate the chicken. Brush the entire chicken with the butter; season with salt and pepper. Set the bird breast-side up on top of the vegetables.
• Roast the chicken for 45 minutes. Then increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F., cooking until an instant-read thermometer stuck into the chicken thigh registers 160 degrees F., about 15 minutes more. Tip the chicken so the juices run into the pan. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil while making the gravy.
• Discard the vegetables and pour the fat and juices in the pan into a small bowl. Transfer about 2 tablespoons of the fat back into the pan, skim and discard the rest. Add the roasting juices to the broth. Place the pan directly on the burner over medium-high heat. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the broth and continue to stir. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour the sauce into a gravy boat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Carve the chicken and serve with gravy.