Gobble, Gobble, Gobble...(NSR)

[KQ]

Alright Turkeys - it's turkey time!!!

Game on!!!!!


http://www.epicurious.com/images/rec...tos/108822.jpg




ROAST TURKEY WITH PROSCIUTTO-HAZELNUT CRUST

Hazelnuts and prosciutto are combined in a seasoned butter that coats the turkey as it roasts, and also flavors the gravy.

Prosciutto butter
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts
1 1/2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons crushed black peppercorns
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
9 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
3 green onions, chopped

Gravy base
Neck, heart, and gizzard reserved from one 16- to 18-pound turkey
3 large shallots, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
1 large fresh thyme sprig
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
4 cups low-salt chicken broth

Turkey
1 16- to 18-pound turkey
1 onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves, peeled, halved
5 large fresh thyme sprigs
2 large fresh summer savory sprigs
1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns

5 cups (about) low-salt chicken broth

1/4 cup all purpose flour

For prosciutto butter:

Place butter in large bowl. Mix in hazelnuts, vinegar, thyme, crushed pepper, garlic, and salt. Mix in prosciutto and green onions.

For gravy base:

Melt 2 tablespoons prosciutto butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add neck, heart, gizzard, shallots, and bay leaf; sauté until brown, about 20 minutes. Add wine, thyme, and rosemary; boil until liquid is reduced almost to glaze, about 3 minutes. Add 4 cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until giblets and neck are tender, about 1 hour. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprig. Transfer neck and giblets to work surface. Chop enough giblets to measure 1 cup. Remove meat from neck and chop. Combine neck meat and chopped giblets in bowl with broth from pot. (Prosciutto butter and gravy base can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill butter; bring to room temperature before using. Chill gravy base until cold, then cover and keep chilled.)

For turkey:

Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 325°F. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Starting at neck end, slide hand between skin and breast, thigh, and leg meat to loosen skin. Set aside 1/4 cup prosciutto butter for gravy. Spread 1 cup prosciutto butter over turkey meat under skin. Spread 1 cup prosciutto butter over outside of turkey. Sprinkle turkey inside and out with salt and pepper; place on rack set in large roasting pan. Place onion and next 4 ingredients in main turkey cavity. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together loosely.

Roast turkey uncovered 1 1/2 hours. Tent turkey with foil; add 2 cups broth to pan. Roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, occasionally basting with pan drippings and adding more broth to pan, about 2 hours longer. Transfer to platter; tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes (internal temperature will increase 5 to 10 degrees).

Strain pan juices into 8-cup measuring cup; spoon fat off top. Add reserved gravy base. Add enough chicken broth to mixture to measure 5 cups total. Melt reserved 1/4 cup prosciutto butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add flour; whisk 1 minute. Gradually add pan-juice mixture, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking frequently, until gravy is very slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve turkey with gravy.

Makes 12 servings.

[KQ]

No picture for this one but it got incredible reviews:



MOLASSES-BRINED TURKEY WITH GINGERSNAP GRAVY

Brining ensures moist, succulent meat, and this recipe from Bruce Aidells, chef and founder of Aidells Sausage Company, could not be easier or more low-tech. The special equipment required? Two 30-gallon plastic bags and one very large (16-quart) bowl that will fit in the fridge. You'll want to get started a day ahead, because the turkey is brined for 18 to 20 hours. Stuffing this turkey is not recommended; the brine remaining in the meat may soak into the stuffing during roasting.

Stock
5 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 large celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, halved
2 small bay leaves
Neck, heart, and gizzard reserved from 18- to 20-pound turkey

Brine and turkey
1 18- to 20-pound turkey
7 quarts water
2 cups coarse salt (about 9 ounces)
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
2 bunches fresh thyme
1 bunch fresh sage
2 quarts ice cubes

2 large onions, halved
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

4 cups (about) low-salt chicken broth

Gravy
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
20 gingersnap cookies, coarsely crumbled (about 1 3/4 cups)
3 to 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup whipping cream (optional)

For stock:
Combine broth, carrots, celery, onion, and bay leaves in large saucepan. Add reserved neck, heart, and gizzard. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until stock is reduced to 3 1/4 cups, about 1 hour. Strain turkey stock into medium bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover stock and refrigerate.)

For brine and turkey:
Line very large (about 16-quart) bowl with two 30-gallon plastic bags, one inside the other. Rinse turkey inside and out. Place turkey in plastic-lined bowl. Combine 7 quarts water, salt, sugar, molasses, 1 bunch thyme, and 1/2 bunch sage in large bowl or pot. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Mix in ice cubes. Pour brine over turkey in plastic bags. Gather tops of bags together, eliminating air space above brine; seal bags. Refrigerate turkey in brine 18 to 20 hours.

Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350°F. Remove turkey from brine. Drain very well; discard brine. Pat turkey dry inside and out. Place turkey on small rack set in large roasting pan. Fill main cavity with remaining 1 bunch thyme and 1/2 bunch sage, onions, and garlic. Stir oil, pepper, chopped thyme, and chopped sage in small bowl to form paste; smear all over outside of turkey. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together loosely to hold shape.

Roast turkey 1 hour, tenting loosely with foil if browning quickly. Turn pan around; roast turkey 30 minutes. Pour 1 cup broth over turkey; re-tent loosely with foil. Roast turkey, basting with 1 cup broth every 30 minutes until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, about 2 hours longer. Transfer turkey to platter. Remove vegetables and herbs from main cavity and discard. Spoon any juices from cavity into roasting pan. Let turkey stand 30 minutes (internal temperature will increase 5 to 10 degrees).

For gravy:
Strain pan juices into bowl. Spoon off fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. Heat reserved 2 tablespoons turkey fat in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and thyme. Sauté until onion browns, about 10 minutes. Add turkey stock, gingersnaps, 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Add 2 cups degreased pan juices and bring to boil, whisking to dissolve gingersnaps. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until gravy thickens, about 4 minutes. Season gravy to taste with salt and pepper, adding remaining tablespoon vinegar and cream, if desired.

Serve turkey with gravy.

Makes 12 to 14 servings.

[davey]

I like to drape slices of bacon over my turkey. Makes the turkey incredibly juicy, and will also give you some of the best bacon you'll ever have.

[KQ]

Simple, easy and oh so good (according to the reviews)



http://www.epicurious.com/images/rec...tos/105729.jpg


ROAST TURKEY WITH ORANGES, BAY LEAVES, RED ONIONS, AND PAN GRAVY

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 4 hr

We think all turkeys are improved by brining (soaking in salted water), but it's a cumbersome process that few holiday schedules can accommodate. We found kosher turkeys, which are salted during the koshering process, to be just as flavorful and succulent as brined ones, without all the fuss. However, if you'd like to try brining, just stir together 8 quarts water with 2 cups kosher salt in a 5-gallon bucket lined with a large heavy-duty garbage bag, and soak turkey, covered and chilled, 10 hours. If you don't have room in your refrigerator, executive editor John Willoughby recommends brining in a large plastic cooler, using freezer packs to keep the water cool and replacing them as needed.

For turkey
1 (12- to 14-lb) turkey (preferably kosher), any quills removed if necessary and neck and giblets (excluding liver) reserved for making stock
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 navel oranges, each cut into 8 wedges
3 small red onions, each cut into 8 wedges
5 bay leaves (not California)
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

For gravy
Pan juices from roast turkey
About 4 cups turkey stock (page 198)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Garnish: 4 roasted onions, each cut into 8 wedges (optional); fresh bay leaves (do not eat)
Special equipment: small metal skewers or wooden toothpicks; kitchen string

Roast turkey:
Preheat oven to 425°F.

Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Sprinkle turkey inside and out with salt and pepper, then fold neck skin under body and secure with small skewer. Stuff large cavity with oranges, 1 onion, and bay leaves. Tie drumsticks together with kitchen string and secure wings to body with small skewers.

Put turkey on a rack set in a large flameproof roasting pan and roast in middle of oven 30 minutes.

While turkey is roasting, toss remaining 2 onions with 2 tablespoons melted butter.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Brush remaining 1/4 cup butter over turkey and roast 30 minutes more. Baste turkey and scatter buttered onion wedges around it, then roast, basting turkey every 30 minutes (add a little water to pan if onions get too dark) until an instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more (total roasting time: 2 1/2 to 3 hours). Transfer turkey to a platter (do not clean roasting pan) and let stand 25 minutes (temperature will rise to 180°F).

Make gravy:
Transfer pan juices with onions to a 2-quart glass measure, then skim off and reserve 1/4 cup fat. Add enough turkey stock to pan juices to make 4 1/2 cups total. Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add 1 cup stock mixture and deglaze pan by boiling over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Add remaining stock mixture and bring to a simmer. Pour stock through a fine sieve back into glass measure and discard onions.

Whisk together reserved fat and flour in a large heavy saucepan and cook roux over moderately low heat, whisking, 3 minutes. Add hot stock mixture in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in any additional turkey juices accumulated on platter and season gravy with salt and pepper.

Serve turkey with gravy on the side.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

[PeachesN'Cream]

edited cause it i didn't want to ruin anybodies appetite for turkey with an off color comment that wasn't really funny.

bad bc-flow, BAD!

[fez]

Damn KQ, I am glad you are back spreading the kitchen stoke!!

i definitely think brining the turkey is the way to go.

Going to be smoking one at a friend's house this year, should be delicious!!!

[The General]

I'm so hungry now.............

[non grata]

I like to drape slices of bacon over my turkey. Makes the turkey incredibly juicy, and will also give you some of the best bacon you'll ever have.

do ya parboil the bacon first to make it a bit less salty/greasy?

[Lone Star]

Which site did you get those recipes off of, KQ? I know I've come across a few that show user reviews, but I can't recall what they are.

[EPSkis]

Going to be smoking one at a friend's house this year, should be delicious!!!

Me too - which is why I'm now in charge of bringing pies.

[Tippster]

do ya parboil the bacon first to make it a bit less salty/greasy?

Boiling Bacon? What are ya, ENGLISH?

[imaginary English Cooking Show]"...yes, Madge, the recipe is simple - combine all the ingredients and then boil until they are a uniform grey colour. Now here's the crux: you MUST ensure that you've removed all flavour..."[/iECS]

FWIW, in my book Fat & Salt are good for you, like cookies. (in moderation)

[KQ]

Damn KQ, I am glad you are back spreading the kitchen stoke!!

i definitely think brining the turkey is the way to go.

Going to be smoking one at a friend's house this year, should be delicious!!!

Brining is def great if you've got the time and the room (although I've known ppl to use ice chests and other creative containers). One of the reviews suggested the best brine is made with a half cup of salt and a quarter cup of sugar per gallon of water is the way to go regardless of herbs and spices used.

I'm so hungry now.............

I KNOW!!! This is making me really hungry too! Can't wait for Thursday. Good food, good wine, family and friends!

[KQ]

Which site did you get those recipes off of, KQ? I know I've come across a few that show user reviews, but I can't recall what they are.

Epicurious

Go to "find a recipe" and use the advanced search function. You can search by holiday, course, ingredients and you can choose to excluded ingredients like meat and dairy.

[KQ]

I like to drape slices of bacon over my turkey. Makes the turkey incredibly juicy, and will also give you some of the best bacon you'll ever have.

Here's a stuffing recipe for you. It got rave reviews. Several ppl mentioned you can buy the chestnuts at Trader Joes.


http://www.epicurious.com/images/rec...tos/107290.jpg

CHESTNUT, BACON, DRIED APPLE, AND CORN BREAD STUFFING

Two shortcuts — prepared chestnuts and a purchased corn bread stuffing base — add to the appeal of this recipe from chef and Aidells Sausage Company founder Bruce Aidells.

1/2 pound thick-cut bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
4 cups chopped onions
3 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped dried apples
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
2 7.4-ounce jars roasted whole chestnuts, coarsely broken
8 cups dried corn bread stuffing mix (from two 16-ounce packages)
1 3/4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to large bowl. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add onions and celery to drippings in skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Add vegetables to bacon; mix in apples, thyme, and sage, then chestnuts. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat to lukewarm before continuing.)

Add corn bread stuffing mix to chestnut mixture. Mix in 1 3/4 cups broth. Drizzle with butter.

To bake stuffing in turkey:
Loosely fill main cavity and neck cavity of turkey with stuffing. Add enough broth to remaining stuffing to moisten slightly (1/4 cup to 3/4 cup, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Generously butter baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover dish with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish — alongside turkey or while turkey is resting — until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover stuffing in dish. Bake until top of stuffing is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

To bake stuffing in dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough extra broth to stuffing to moisten (3/4 cup to 1 1/4 cups). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake until heated through, about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 20 minutes longer.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

[fez]

Brining is def great if you've got the time and the room (although I've known ppl to use ice chests and other creative containers).

one of few benefits of 20yrs in the restaurant business is i can usually borrow the corner of a walk-in cooler for a day or two if need be.

i cant think of what some of the other benefits are

well except i settled an argument between some grad students and professors about what kind of cheese someone brought in today. They were deciding between cheddar and monterey jack. it was provolone.

glad that skill comes in handy every now and then.

[Lane Meyer]

Allow me to suggest the venerable and oh-so delectable Turducken:
http://www.thesalmons.org/lynn/lg-turducken4.jpg

The Turducken will need to cook for approximately 9 hours at 225 degrees F so begin preparation well in advance. The fowls can be deboned the day before and kept refrigerated overnight. Save the turkey carcass for making stock and some duck skin to render fat. We sometimes make the sausage stuffing the night before and store it in the refrigerator, but it helps to warm it in the microwave before final assembly.

Basic Needs:
16-20 lb whole turkey
4-5 lb whole duckling
3-4 lb whole chicken (or use a larger chicken and place the duckling inside it)
corn bread dressing
sausage stuffing
large roasting pan and rack
cotton string
large needle and cotton thread
Debone the birds:
Sharpen those knives! Maximize your work area so you have plenty of room and light. Use the kitchen table if there's not enough counter space. If it is your first time deboning a fowl, it is advisable to practice first on the chicken rather than the turkey since mistakes will be hidden inside the bigger birds.

Rinse the turkey and remove the neck and any giblets. Place the turkey, breast side down, on a clean flat surface. Cut through the skin along the length of the spine. Using the tip of a knife and starting from the neck end, gently separate meat from rib cage on one side. Toward neck end, cut through the meat to expose the shoulder blade; cut meat away from and around the bone, severing bone at the joint to remove shoulder blade. Disjoint wing between second and third joints. Leave the wing bones and keep the wing attached to the meat.

Continue separating meat from frame, heading toward the thighbone and being careful to keep the "oyster" (pocket of meat on back) attached to skin, rather than leaving it with the bone. Cut through ball-and-socket joint to release the thighbone from the carcass (bird will be open on one side, exposing bones left to deal with). Keep the leg attached to the meat.

Repeat boning procedure on the other side of the bird. Carefully remove the carcass and use it to make stock. Stock is needed for making stuffing and more stock is needed for gravy. To make stock, put the turkey carcass in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat overnight.

You should end up with a flat boneless (except for wings and legs) turkey with the skin intact in one large piece. Put the boned turkey in a large dish or bowl and cover with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. Place it in the refrigerator.

Repeat the deboning process on the duckling and the chicken, but debone both stumps of wings and leg drumsticks. Cut through flesh at the thinnest point and trim around these bones with a knife until they can be removed. (Since they have little meat, we usually cut off the entire wings and add them to the stock pot.) Both the chicken and duck will be stuffed inside the turkey and need not be kept "perfectly" intact.

Trim excess skin and fat from necks of birds. Ducks, in particular, have a lot of excess fatty skin that should be saved to render fat to be used later for making gravy.

Prepare seasoning mix and set aside:
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1-2 teaspoons dried thyme
Sausage stuffing:
Melt butter in large skillet over high heat. Add 3 cups onions and 1-1/2 cups celery. Saute until onions are dark brown but not burned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add 2 lbs sausage (we prefer spicy Italian sausage) to the skillet and cook about 5 minutes or until the meat is browned, stirring frequently. Add paprika (3 tbsp.) and minced garlic (3 tbsp.) and cook approximately 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in 3 cups of stock and bring to simmer. Continue cooking until water evaporates and oil rises to top, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2-3 cups toasted bread crumbs and mix well. Add more bread crumbs if mixture is too moist.

Prepare a similar amount of another stuffing such as corn bread stuffing.

Assembly:

At least 10 to 11 hours before dinner, assemble the Turducken.

Spread the turkey, skin down, on flat surface, exposing as much meat as possible. Rub 3 tablespoons of seasoning mix evenly on meat. Spread sausage stuffing over the turkey in an even layer approximately 3/4 inch thick.

Place duck, skin down, on top of stuffing. Season exposed duck meat with about 1 tbsp. of seasoning mix. Spread corn bread stuffing in an even layer (about 1/2 inch thick) over the duck.

Arrange the chicken, skin down, evenly on top of corn bread stuffing. Season chicken meat with seasoning mix. Spread remainder of sausage and/or corn bread stuffing on top of chicken. The assemblage will look something like this.

With another person's help, carefully lift the sides of the layered birds, folding the sides of the turkey together. Have a helper hold the bird while sewing the opening down the back of the turkey together using cotton thread. The bird may not close perfectly, and a strip of cheese cloth can be used to help close the "crack" in the back of the turkey so stuffing will not leak out when the bird is turned over.

Since the turducken has no skeleton, it must be trussed up or it may fall apart in cooking. Tie 4-5 pieces of cotton string around the bird, widthwise to act as skeletal support. Turn the bird over and place in a roasting rack inside a large roasting pan so it is oriented breast side up and looks like a "normal" turkey. Tie the legs together just above the tip bones.

Cooking:
Heat oven to 225 degrees F. Temperature control is critical since the turducken is so massive that it has to be cooked slowly at a low temperature to prevent burning the outside before the interior is cooked. Using an oven thermometer is highly recommended. We place 2-3 oven thermometers at different locations within the oven to monitor oven temperature. We also use a meat thermometer inside the bird to measure its internal temperature.

Place the bird in the center of the oven and bake until a meat thermometer inserted through to center reads 165 degrees, approximately 9 hours, though cooking times will vary depending on the size of the birds and amount of stuffing used. Rely on temperature and not time cooked for doneness.

http://www.thesalmons.org/lynn/turducken-small.jpg There will be no need to baste, but accumulated drippings may need to be removed from the pan every few hours so that the lower portion does not deep fry in the hot oil. Save pan drippings for gravy. Remove the turducken from the oven and let cool in the pan for an hour before serving. Make gravy according to your favorite recipe.

To serve cut bird in half. Carve crosswise so each slice reveals all 3 meats and stuffings. Will make 15 to 25 servings.

[KQ]

No pic but reviewers say it's a beautiful bird:


ROAST TURKEY WITH BACON, TARRAGON AND APPLEJACK GRAVY

Beautiful, impressive and filled with flavor.
Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

For turkey
1 10-ounce jar crabapple jelly
3/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) butter
1/3 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
4 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

12 ounces mushrooms, quartered
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
1 22- to 24-pound turkey, neck cut into 4 pieces

10 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth

For gravy
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth

8 bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 cup applejack or other apple brandy (optional)

Make turkey:
Stir jelly, 1/2 cup butter, apple juice concentrate and 2 tablespoons tarragon in small saucepan over medium heat until butter and jelly melt. Remove glaze from heat. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature and rewhisk before using.)

Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 375°F. Place small rack in center of large roasting pan. Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion and carrot; saut
 until dark brown, about 12 minutes. Sprinkle vegetables and turkey neck pieces around rack in pan.

Stir remaining 6 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons tarragon in heavy small saucepan until butter melts. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey on rack in pan. Starting at neck end, slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin. Brush 3 tablespoons tarragon butter over breast meat under skin. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing loosely into main cavity. Brush remaining tarragon butter over outside of turkey. Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper. Tuck wing tips under turkey; tie legs together to hold shape.

Roast turkey 45 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; add 1 cup broth to pan. Cover turkey loosely with foil. Roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F., adding 1 cup broth and basting with pan juices every 1/2 hour and brushing with 1/3 cup glaze twice during last 2 hours, about 4 1/4 hours longer if unstuffed or 4 3/4 hours longer if stuffed.

Transfer turkey to platter. Tent with foil; let stand 1/2 hour. Reserve pan juices.

Make gravy:
Mix 1/2 cup glaze and flour in small bowl to blend. Strain pan juices into large measuring cup, pressing on solids; spoon off fat. Add enough broth to measure 6 cups.

Sauté bacon in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Pour off fat. Add broth mixture to saucepan and bring to boil. Whisk in glaze-flour mixture and tarragon, then applejack. Simmer until thickened to sauce, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 12 to 14.

[KQ]

Use this stuffing with the above turkey recipe (reviewers suggested not stuffing the bird with this but rather, use the oven method):

LEEK, MUSHROOM AND BACON STUFFING WITH TARRAGON

Lots of mushrooms and bacon flavor this traditional bread stuffing. It goes well with the Roast Turkey with Bacon, Tarragon and Applejack Gravy.

1 24-ounce loaf sliced buttermilk bread, crust trimmed, bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 11 cups)
1 pound bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

7 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 1/2 pounds button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps coarsely chopped
4 cups coarsely chopped celery
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried
2 large eggs, beaten to blend

Canned low-salt chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread bread cubes on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until bread is almost dry, about 15 minutes. Cool. Transfer to large bowl.

Sauté bacon in large pot over medium-high heat until crisp, about 12 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve 6 tablespoons drippings in pot; discard any remaining drippings.

Add leeks and button mushrooms to same pot. Sauté over medium-high heat until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add shiitake mushrooms and saute 4 minutes. Add celery and sauté until leeks and mushrooms are tender but celery is still slightly crisp, about 6 minutes longer. (Bread, bacon and sautéed vegetables can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately. Store bread at room temperature; refrigerate bacon and vegetables.) Mix bacon, sautéed vegetables and tarragon into bread. Season generously with salt and pepper. Mix eggs into stuffing.

To bake stuffing in turkey:
Loosely fill main cavity with stuffing. Add enough broth to remaining stuffing to moisten lightly (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Generously butter glass baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.

To bake all of stuffing in baking dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 15 x 10 x 2-inch . Add enough broth to stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with butter foil, buttered side down; bake until heated through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes longer.

Serves 12 to 14.

[irul&ublo]

Ingredients:

1 Car
1 Wife
1 set dogs, German Shepherd and Golden Retriever
1 set parental units, w/in easy driving range
beer
gin for martinis
Several bottles good red wine

Arrange, prepare and gas car.

Confirm that dogs have shit and peed

Load wife, dogs, beer, gin and wine into car.

Drive car to home of parental units.

Unload wife, dogs, beer, gin and wine.

Open beer (repeat as necessary)

Observe cooking activity from a safe distance. Turkey will be involved and they can be dangerous.

As cooking nears completion, prepare martinis using gin (repeat as necessary)

Begin eating

Open wine (repeat as necessary)

Collapse on nearest couch

Observe cleanup activity from a safe distance

[teledave]

I made the Chipotle/Orange/Honey turkey (I can't remember exactly what the recipe was called) that KQ posted up last year for Thanksgiving. Best damn turkey that I and a lot of others had ever eaten. Everybody kept asking where I got the recipe from, kinda strange telling them that you got it from a cougar you've never met in person off of an internet skiing site. KQ recipes rule! (And I've used several of them.)

[Pura Vida]

I like to drape slices of bacon over my turkey. Makes the turkey incredibly juicy, and will also give you some of the best bacon you'll ever have.

This is also a favorite of mine. I usually coat the bird in a herbal butter (unsalted butter, sage, garlic, etc) and cover with bacon. Fill the cavity with aromatics (oranges, onions, carrots, celery, garlic) and roast. Makes for an excellent bird. The only word of caution is combining this with a turkey you have brined. Depending on your brining method the combo of the bacon and brined turkey may result in too salty gravy. Just picked up my "free range i lived a good life turkey" and I'm looking forward to introducing him to my oven

Also have to put a word in for the deep fried turkey. The fun of a potentially expolsive cooking method combined with an excellent tasting turkey make this a good maggot choice.

[KQ]

NORTHWESTERN WILD MUSHROOM STUFFING

Hazelnuts and wild mushrooms - popular ingredients from Oregon and Washington - add terrific flavor and texture to this sophisticated stuffing.

2 cups hot water
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

1 1 1/2 to 1 3/4-pound loaf unsliced egg bread, crust trimmed, bread cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 16 cups)


6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups coarsely chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 3 medium leeks)
1 cup chopped shallots (about 8)
1 1/4 pounds crimini or button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup coarsely chopped toasted husked hazelnuts
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
2 large eggs, beaten to blend


3/4 cup canned low-salt chicken broth

Combine 2 cups hot water and porcini mushrooms in medium bowl; let stand until mushrooms are soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid. Squeeze porcini dry; chop coarsely.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Divide bread between 2 baking sheets. Bake until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Cool. Transfer to very large bowl.

Melt butter in heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks, shallots, and crimini and shiitake mushrooms and sauté until golden and tender, about 15 minutes. Mix in celery and porcini; sauté 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl with bread cubes. Mix in parsley, hazelnuts, thyme and sage. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill porcini soaking liquid and stuffing separately.) Mix eggs into stuffing.

To bake stuffing in turkey: Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Combine broth and 1/2 cup reserved porcini soaking liquid in large glass measuring cup. Add enough broth mixture to remaining stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup broth mixture, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is crisp, about 15 minutes.

To bake all stuffing in pan: Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Mix 3/4 cup reserved porcini soaking liquid and 3/4 cup broth into stuffing. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover and bake until top is crisp, about 15 minutes.

14 to 16 Servings (about 18 cups).

[KQ]

I made the Chipotle/Orange/Honey turkey (I can't remember exactly what the recipe was called) that KQ posted up last year for Thanksgiving. Best damn turkey that I and a lot of others had ever eaten. Everybody kept asking where I got the recipe from, kinda strange telling them that you got it from a cougar you've never met in person off of an internet skiing site. KQ recipes rule! (And I've used several of them.)

Oh yeah - that one did sound good!! Hmmmm mebbe I should make this one instead......


http://www.epicurious.com/images/rec...tos/105797.jpg

CITRUS-GLAZED TURKEY WITH CHIPOTLE GRAVY

Traditional flavors (honey and orange) and contemporary ones (cumin and chilies) come together in the glaze, which also gives the gravy some heat and zip.
See how to carve a turkey.

Glaze
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons (packed) grated orange peel
3 tablespoons (packed) grated lime peel (from about 12 limes)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
4 teaspoons chopped canned chipotle chilies*
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt

Turkey
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
4 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 22- to 24-pound turkey; neck, gizzard, and heart reserved
2 cups chopped peeled carrots
2 cups chopped celery with leaves
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomatoes

9 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth

Gravy
1 cup (about) canned low-salt chicken broth

1/2 cup all purpose flour

For glaze:
Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in next 7 ingredients. Freeze until mixture begins to firm up but is still spreadable, about 30 minutes. Set aside 1/2 cup citrus glaze for gravy.

For turkey:
Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and reserved turkey parts and sauté until onions are very deep brown, about 22 minutes. Add carrots, celery, and tomatoes to skillet and toss to blend. (Glaze and vegetable mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill. Cover turkey and chill.)

Set rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Place small rack in center of large roasting pan. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with turkey parts around rack. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan. Starting at neck end, carefully slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin. Rub 1/2 cup citrus glaze over breast meat under skin. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing loosely into neck and main cavities. Tuck wing tips under turkey; tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Brush 1/3 cup glaze over top and sides of turkey (not bottom); reserve any remaining glaze. Sprinkle turkey generously with salt and pepper. Cover turkey (not pan) loosely with foil. Roast 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; add 1 cup broth to pan. Press foil snugly around turkey (not pan). Roast 1 hour 15 minutes. Add 1 cup broth to pan. Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, adding 1 cup broth every 30 minutes, lifting foil to baste with pan juices and removing foil during last 15 minutes to brown turkey, about 3 hours 30 minutes longer if unstuffed or 4 hours 15 minutes if stuffed. Transfer turkey to platter. Tent with foil; let stand 30 minutes (internal temperature of turkey will increase by 5 to 10 degrees). Reserve pan juices.

For gravy:
Strain pan juices into 8-cup measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract some pulp and as much liquid as possible; discard solids in strainer. Spoon fat from top of juices; discard fat. Add enough chicken broth to pan juices in cup to measure 6 cups.

Stir reserved 1/2 cup citrus glaze in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until melted. Gradually add flour; whisk 1 minute. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Bring to boil, whisking until smooth. Reduce heat to medium; boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper. Brush any remaining glaze over turkey. Serve turkey with gravy.

* Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

Makes 16 servings.

[davey]

do ya parboil the bacon first to make it a bit less salty/greasy?

hell no, take the strips out of the package, lay em over the whole turkey, thats all.

[davey]

another cool recipe I've seen is you pry the skin off above the breasts with a spatula without tearing the skin, and you shove stuffing under there. it insulates the breast because that usually cooks faster than the rest, and when you cut slices of meat off the breast you get a layer of stuffing with every slice. It keeps the turkey pretty juicy too.