Make Ahead Roasted Turkey Recipes

MAKE-AHEAD TURKEY AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side up. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning and pepper. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together., Roast, uncovered, 30 minutes. In a 4-cup measuring cup, mix broth, herbs, lemon peel and juice, and garlic; pour over turkey. Roast, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°, 3 to 3-1/2 hours, basting occasionally with broth mixture. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly., Remove turkey from pan; let stand at least 20 minutes before carving. Skim fat from cooking juices., To freeze: Carve turkey and place in shallow freezer containers. Pour cooking juices over turkey; cool slightly, about 1 hour. Cover and freeze up to 3 months., To serve: Partially thaw turkey in refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 350°. Transfer turkey and cooking juices to a large baking dish. Pour 1-1/2 cups broth over top. Bake, covered, until a thermometer inserted in turkey reads 165°, 50-60 minutes., To prepare gravy: Remove turkey to a platter, reserving broth mixture; keep warm. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in broth mixture; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve with turkey.

MAKE-AHEAD ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Bring 1 quart water, 3/4 cup salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves and lemon zest to a boil in an extra-large pot (large enough to hold the turkey breast). Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and add 4 quarts water. Let cool to room temperature.
• Add the turkey breast to the pot (use a plate to help submerge it if needed), cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 1 day.
• Remove the turkey breast from the pot, and discard the brine. Blot the breast dry all over with paper towels.
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Pulse the butter, parsley, sage, thyme, paprika and cayenne in a food processor to combine. Rub half the herbed butter under and over the skin of the turkey breast; roll the rest into a log, and freeze. Place the breast on a rack set in a roasting pan, and roast, rotating as needed to ensure even browning, until the deepest part of the breast registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.
• Let the turkey breast cool completely. Wrap it well with plastic wrap and foil, label and date, and freeze, deep in the freezer, for up to 2 weeks.
• Two days before you plan to serve it, put the turkey breast in a baking dish and transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw.
• To serve, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the breast from the bone, and slice. Shingle the slices onto a large baking dish, pour in the stock and dot the turkey with slices of the frozen herbed butter. Wrap the dish tightly with foil, and reheat in the oven until the turkey is hot and the butter is melted, 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a platter, and drizzle with some of the pan liquid.

MAKE AHEAD ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place turkey on a rack inside a roasting pan, breast side up. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning and pepper. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together.
• Roast, uncovered, 30 minutes. In a 4-cup measuring cup, mix broth, herbs, lemon zest and juice, and garlic; pour over turkey. Roast, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees, about 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
• While turkey is roasting, baste occasionally with broth mixture. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.
• Remove turkey from pan; let stand at least 20 minutes before carving. Skim fat from cooking juices.
• Carve the turkey and place in shallow freezer containers. Pour cooking juices over turkey then let cool slightly, about one hour. Cover and freeze up to 3 months.
• Partially thaw the turkey in refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer turkey and cooking juices to a baking dish.
• Pour 1 1/2 cups broth over top. Bake, covered, until a thermometer inserted in the turkey reads 165 degrees, 50-60 minutes. Remove turkey to a platter, reserving cooking juices, and keep warm.
• In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in the cooking juices; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve gravy alongside turkey.

MAKE-AHEAD THANKSGIVING TURKEY

Steps:

• The day before serving, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the thyme and rosemary on the bottom of a baking sheet. Put the turkey pieces on top, dot with the cubed butter, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast, basting from time to time and checking for doneness every 15 minutes after 1 hour of cooking, until the meat reaches 165 degrees F, about 1 1/2 hours. Let rest, covered in foil, for 45 minutes.
• Carve the breasts and thighs into slices (keep the legs whole), then arrange on a fresh baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate.
• On the day of serving: let the turkey come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Drizzle the chicken broth over the turkey, cover again with foil and roast until it registers 165 degrees F, about 1 hour.

ACCIDENTAL MAKE-AHEAD TURKEY

Steps:

• Two or three days before you plan to roast the turkey, combine 3 tablespoons salt, the rosemary, and lemon zest. Wash the turkey inside and out, drain it well, and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the salt mixture in the cavity of the turkey and rub the rest on the skin, including under the wings and legs. Place the turkey in a shallow dish to catch any drips and wrap the whole dish tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one or two days. The day before you plan to roast the turkey, remove the plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge. The skin will dry out and turn a little translucent.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Be sure your oven is very clean!
• Place the onion, lemon, and thyme in the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tie the wings close to the body. Brush the turkey with the butter and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
• Roast the turkey for 45 minutes, placing it in the oven legs first. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees F and roast it for about another hour, until 165 degrees F for the breast and 180 degrees in the thigh on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven, cover the turkey tightly with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Carve the turkey and arrange it on a platter. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and allow the turkey to sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
• To reheat, pour a 1/4-inch layer of the gravy into a large (12 × 16-inch) ovenproof serving platter (make sure it's ovenproof!). Arrange the turkey artfully on top of the gravy. Place the platter uncovered into the oven for 15 to 30 minutes, until the turkey is very hot. Serve hot with extra gravy on the side.
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute, 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 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, Cognac, sage leaves, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 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.
• 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 medium heat and add the 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.
• "Make it Ahead" by Ina Garten © Clarkson Potter 2014. Provided courtesy of Ina Garten. All rights reserved.

MAKE-AHEAD TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Arrange a single layer of turkey wings in a large roasting pan. Scatter the onions over the top of the wings. Roast in the preheated oven for 1-1/4 hours or until wings are browned.
• Place browned wings and onions in a 5 quart stockpot. Add water to roasting pan and stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour the the water from the pan into the stockpot. Stir in 6 cups broth, carrot, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 hours.
• Remove wings from the pot and place on a cutting board. When the wings are cool, pull off the skin and meat. Discard the skin and save the meat for another use. Strain contents of stockpot through a large strainer into a 3 quart saucepan. Press on the vegetables to extract any remaining liquid. Discard the vegetables and skim the fat off the liquid. Bring the contents of the pot to a gentle boil.
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour into the remaining 2 cups chicken broth until smooth. Gradually whisk the flour mixture into the simmering turkey broth; simmer 3-4 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Stir in the butter and pepper. Serve immediately or pour into containers and refrigerate or freeze.

MAKE-AHEAD ROASTED TURKEY GRAVY - TYLER FLORENCE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the wing, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and herbs, and cook for 5 minutes.
• Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and place over medium heat.
• Remove the wing and set aside.
• Add the flour and let cook for about 1 minute.
• Add the stock and simmer until it has reduced by about 1/4, about 15 minutes.
• Strain the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.