holidays/ Ina Garten/ make ahead/ Poultry

Make-Ahead Roast Turkey | Ina Garten

Plan and make ahead is the concept for this year Thanksgiving turkey. It makes sense to get the turkey ready and early — even for a few hours or a day ahead. Why not, it alleviates the stress in the busy kitchen on the day when so much is happening. I tend to do better when I carve out the time to dedicate to a singular task, which is not always possible. Multi-tasking is part of the usual process in preparing the Thanksgiving meal. However, I like the idea of getting the turkey out of the way first, meanwhile setting a more relaxing tone for the rest of the big day. The make-ahead roast turkey works from the process perspective; it delivers on taste too!

Keys to success for the make-ahead roast turkey recipe:

  • My preference is for a young turkey weighing less than 10 pounds.
  • Use a dry brine with fresh thyme leaves, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Rub the brine thoroughly inside and outside of the turkey. Wrap the turkey tightly in plastic and refrigerate for a day or two. Let the skin air dry the day you plan to roast.
  • Brush the turkey generously with butter prior to roasting.
  • Roast at 350°F until the breast meat registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven.
  • Cut off the legs and thighs. Cover the breast and carcass tightly with aluminum foil. This way, the turkey breast meat stays moist. Place everything in the roasting pan and then back into the oven. Roast for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the dark meat registers 180°F.
  • Remove the dark meat with the turkey, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
  • I’d rather err on the side of undercooking the turkey. Before serving, warm the turkey with the gravy on the bottom of an oven-proof platter, uncovered, in the 350°F oven. Roast until the turkey is hot, about 15 to 30 minutes.

To my amazement, the dark meat of the turkey tastes like that of a duck, and at a fraction of the cost. I can’t stop eating and loving it. Happy Thanksgiving!

Make-Ahead Roast Turkey and Gravy with Onions and Sage

By Ina Garten
Prep Time: 2 to 3 days Cooking Time: 2-3 hours depending on size

It makes sense to make the turkey ahead of dinner, even a day ahead. I prefer to roast the turkey ahead rather than ordering a cooked one. The process is easier than you think and the flavor is amazing. All you need is to plan ahead and brine the turkey for a few days.

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
  • Grated zest of ½ lemon
  • 1 (8 to 10-pound) fresh turkey
  • 1 lemon, quartered
  • 8 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced crosswise
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • Make-Ahead Gravy (recipe follows)
  • MAKE-AHEAD TURKEY GRAVY WITH ONIONS & SAGE (Makes 2 cups)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ large red onion, halved and sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • 1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy
  • 5 large fresh sage leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

Instructions

1

BRINE THE TURKEY: Two or three days before you plan to roast the turkey, combine 2 tablespoons of salt, the minced thyme, and lemon zest. Wash the turkey inside and out, drain it well, and pat it all over with paper towels. Sprinkle the cavity of the turkey with plain kosher salt and rub the salt and lemon mixture all over the skin, including under the wings and legs. Place the turkey in a shallow dish just large enough to hold it and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 or 2 days. The day before you plan to roast the turkey, remove the plastic wrap and leave the turkey in the fridge. The skin will dry out and turn a little translucent.

2

PREPARE THE TURKEY: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the turkey in a medium roasting pan, discarding any juices in the dish. Place the onion, lemon and thyme sprigs in the cavity. With kitchen string, tie the legs together and the wings close to the body. Distribute the onions around the turkey. Brush the turkey with the butter and sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper.

3

ROAST THE TURKEY: Roast the turkey for 1¼ to 1½ hours, until the breast meat registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven and place the turkey on a platter. Cut off the legs and thighs and put them back into the roasting pan. Cover the breast tightly with aluminum foil. Place the roasting pan back in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the dark meat registers 180°F on the instant-read thermometer. Remove the dark meat to the platter with the rest of the turkey, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.

4

MAKE THE GRAVY: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté, stirring often, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onion becomes browned and starts to caramelize. Sprinkle on the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1½ minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, brandy, sage leaves, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper, depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour and strain, pressing the solids lightly, and then discarding them. Refrigerate until ready to use.

5

After the turkey is cooked, remove it to a carving board to rest while you finish the gravy. Place the roasting pan on the stovetop over a medium heat and add the white wine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring and scraping up all the bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Slowly whisk the gravy base into the pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the gravy is smooth and slightly thickened. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

6

To make ahead, make the gravy base and refrigerate for up to a week. Finish with the turkey pan juices from the turkey plus the wine, season to taste, and serve hot.

Notes

https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/make-ahead-roast-turkey-for-four

Thermoworks Specials

ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4 Backlit

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6 Comments

  • Reply
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    Kim Tracy
    November 27, 2022 at 2:42 pm

    You have this plated so beautifully, which is something I never get around to doing on the actual day of Thanksgiving. Maybe this make ahead method would be worth a try for me next year for that same purpose. Plus, I like the idea of cutting the legs and thighs off and putting them back in, which is something I’ve never done. Ina for the win, gorgeous!

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    Kim Tracy
    November 27, 2022 at 2:44 pm

    You have this beautifully plated, which is something I’m always too anxious to take the time to do on the big day. I would really like to try this method, plus I’m interested in removing the legs and thighs and then returning them to the oven. I’ve never tried that before. Ina for the win…this is simply gorgeous!

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