Ingredients

  • 1 Good Eats Roast Turkey, recipe follows
  • 24 ounces reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 8 ounces red wine
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme or rosemary
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
  • 1 gallon vegetable stock
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
  • 1 gallon heavily iced water
  • 1 red apple, quartered
  • 1/2 onion, quartered
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 sprigs rosemary
  • 6 leaves sage
  • Canola oil

Method

  • Remove the turkey from the roasting pan and set aside to rest.
  • Leave the drippings from the turkey in the pan and place the roasting pan over medium heat.
  • Add the broth and wine at the same time.
  • Whisk to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan until all of the bits have come loose.
  • Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes in order to reduce the mixture slightly.
  • Transfer the liquid to a fat separator and let sit for 5 minutes to allow fat to separate.
  • Return 2/3 to 3/4 cup of the fat to the roasting pan and place over medium-high heat.
  • Discard any remaining fat.
  • Add the flour and whisk to combine.
  • Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture starts to thicken and become smooth, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Once this happens, gradually add the liquid back to the pan and whisk until smooth and you have reached your desired consistency, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Remember, your gravy should be slightly thin in the pan as it will thicken once you serve it.
  • Add the herbs and whisk to combine.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.
  • Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.
  • Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil.
  • Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
  • Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:
  • Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket.
  • Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine.
  • If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.
  • Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
  • Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water.
  • Discard the brine.
  • Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
  • Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage.
  • Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
  • Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes.
  • Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting.
  • Let the turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.
  • Yield: 10 to 12 servings