Pillowcase Turkey with Million-Dollar Gravy

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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 240 minutes
Servings: 10 to 12

“My grandmother was a perfectionist in the kitchen,” says TODAY food contributor and chef Elizabeth Heiskell, “and it drove her crazy that her turkey would get too brown before the bird was done. In the 1920s there was no Williams Sonoma, and she had no way to buy cheesecloth. Being a resourceful woman, she took a clean, white pillowcase, tore it in two, wrapped it around the turkey, and then soaked it in sherry, white wine and melted butter. Right before the turkey was done, she removed the pillowcase, then put the bird back in the oven to brown. Not even a Norman Rockwell painting was prettier than my grandmother’s turkey.” We’ve updated the recipe by using cheesecloth instead, but you could also cut a clean, white, 100% cotton pillowcase into a square large enough to wrap the turkey and use it instead, just like Heiskell’s grandmother did.

Ingredients:

  • 1 turkey, 12 to 15 lb. (6 to 7.5 kg)
  • 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
  • 1 lemon, quartered
  • 24 Tbs. (3 sticks) (12 oz./375 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 8 smoked bacon slices
  • 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) red wine, plus more as needed
  • 1 1/2 cups (12 fl. oz./375 ml) chicken broth, plus more as needed
  • 6 whole peppercorns
  • 10 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves


For the million-dollar gravy:

  • 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) liquid from turkey roasting pan
  • Red wine, if needed
  • 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C).

Rinse the turkey and remove the giblets and neck. Stuff the cavity with the onion, celery and lemon. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Spread 8 Tbs. (1 stick) (4 oz./125g) of the butter evenly over the skin and liberally season the entire bird with salt and pepper.

Unfold a large piece of cheesecloth, then fold in half to create a double layer. Cut into a square large enough to wrap the entire turkey. Place a V-shaped rack in a large roasting pan. Drape the double layer of cheesecloth over the rack and arrange 4 of the bacon slices in a single layer on the cloth. Place the turkey, breast side down, on top of the bacon, arrange the remaining 4 bacon slices on top of the turkey and fold the cheesecloth up over the turkey so it is fully covered. Completely saturate the cheesecloth and turkey with the wine and 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) of the broth. Scatter the peppercorns, parsley, thyme and bay leaves in the bottom of the pan. Roast the turkey for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, combine the remaining 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) (8 oz./250 g) butter and the remaining 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) broth with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat, stirring, until the butter melts. Remove from the heat. After the turkey has roasted for 20 minutes, liberally baste it with some of the butter mixture, making sure the cheesecloth is completely saturated.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, away from the bone, registers 165°F (74°C) and into the thigh registers 175°F (80°C), 2 1/2 to 3 hours more. Baste the turkey every hour with the pan juices, making sure the cheesecloth remains saturated. If the pan dries out, pour in equal parts wine and broth.

Remove the turkey from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). Remove the cheesecloth from the turkey and flip the turkey over so it is breast side up. Brush the breast with the remaining melted butter mixture and continue roasting until the skin is crisp and browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and let rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

While the turkey is resting, make the gravy: Strain the juices in the roasting pan into a large glass measuring cup. If necessary, add enough wine to total 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) liquid. Pour the liquid back into the pan, place over medium heat and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the pan bottom. In a small bowl, stir together the butter and flour to make a paste. Whisk the mixture into the pan and bring to a simmer, continuing to whisk until thickened, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy alongside. Serves 10 to 12.

Recipe courtesy of Elizabeth Heiskell, TODAY Food Contributor

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