Sage Roasted Turkey With Caramelized Onions And Sage Gravy Recipes

ROAST TURKEY AND GRAVY WITH ONIONS AND SAGE

Steps:

• Two or three days before you plan to roast the turkey, combine 3 tablespoons 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 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 just large enough to hold it and wrap the whole dish 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.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Put the turkey in a large roasting pan, discarding any juices in the dish. Place the onion, lemon and thyme sprigs 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 generously with salt and pepper.
• Roast the turkey for 2 to 2 1/4 hours, until the breast meat registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer (put the thermometer in sideways). Remove from the oven and place the turkey on a carving board. Cut off the legs and thighs and put them back into the roasting pan, covering the breast and carcass tightly with aluminum foil. Place the roasting pan back in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the dark meat registers 180 degrees F. Remove the dark meat to the carving board with the turkey, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Pour a 1/4-inch layer of the gravy into a large (12-by-16-inch) ovenproof serving platter (make sure it's ovenproof!). Carve the turkey and arrange it 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.
• For the gravy:
• 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-AHEAD TURKEY GRAVY WITH ONIONS & SAGE

Steps:

• 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.

ROASTED SAGE TURKEY WITH VEGETABLE GRAVY

Steps:

• Remove giblets and neck from turkey. Reserve turkey neck; refrigerate, covered, overnight. Place turkey in a 15x10-in. baking pan, breast side up. Secure skin to underside of neck cavity with toothpicks. Mix salt, sage and garlic powder. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together. Pat turkey dry. Rub outside of turkey with salt mixture. Refrigerate turkey, loosely covered, overnight., Preheat oven to 475°. Place onion, celery, carrots and reserved neck in bottom of a broiler pan; add 1/2 cup water. Place broiler pan rack over top; transfer turkey to rack. Rub outside of turkey with oil; sprinkle with pepper. Pour wine and remaining water into turkey cavity; add sage and thyme sprigs., Place turkey in oven, legs facing toward back of oven. Roast, uncovered, 40 minutes., Reduce oven setting to 350°. Cover breast tightly with a double thickness of foil. Roast until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175° (thermometer should not touch bone or fat), 1-1/2 to 2 hours longer., Remove turkey from oven. Let stand, uncovered, 20 minutes before carving. Using a turkey baster, remove liquid from turkey cavity to a large measuring cup. Line a strainer or colander with cheesecloth; place over measuring cup. With a slotted spoon, remove vegetables from bottom of broiler pan, reserving 1-1/4 cups. Discard turkey neck. Strain cooking liquid into measuring cup. Skim fat, reserving 1/4 cup fat. Add enough broth to the cooking liquid to measure 2 cups., In a large saucepan, mix flour and reserved fat until smooth; gradually whisk in broth mixture. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Add half of the reserved vegetables. Puree gravy using an immersion blender; or cool gravy slightly and puree in a blender. Stir in sage, pepper and remaining vegetables; heat through. Serve with turkey.

SAGE-ROASTED TURKEY WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 425°F Toss onions and 2 tablespoons oil in large roasting pan. Roast until onions are golden brown, stirring every 15 minutes, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Slide hand under skin of turkey breast to loosen skin. Spread butter under skin over breast meat. Arrange 4 sage leaves under skin on each side of breast. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing loosely into main cavity. Tuck wing tips under turkey; tie legs together loosely. Rub turkey all over with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place turkey atop onions in pan. Add neck, heart and gizzard pieces to pan. Roast turkey 30 minutes. Pour 1 cup broth into pan. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F Roast turkey 2 hours. Uncover; continue to roast until turkey is golden brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 1 hour longer. Transfer to platter. Tent loosely with foil; let stand 30 minutes.
• Remove neck and giblet pieces from pan; discard. Pour onion mixture into large glass measuring cup; spoon off fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. Add more chicken broth to onion mixture if necessary to measure 5 cups total.
• Heat reserved 2 tablespoons turkey fat in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped sage; stir 30 seconds. Add flour; whisk until beginning to color, about 3 minutes (mixture will be dry and crumbly). Gradually whisk in onion mixture, wine and nutmeg. Simmer until gravy thickens, whisking 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
• Carve turkey; serve hot with gravy.
• Makes 10 to 12 servings.

SAGE-ROASTED TURKEY WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND SAGE GRAVY

Steps:

• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Toss onions and 2 tablespoons oil in large roasting pan. Roast until onions are golden brown, stirring every 15 minutes, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Slide hand under skin of turkey breast to loosen skin. Spread butter under skin over breast meat. Arrange 4 sage leaves under skin on each side of breast. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing loosely into main cavity. Tuck wing tips under turkey; tie legs together loosely. Rub turkey all over with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place turkey atop onions in pan. Add neck, heart and gizzard pieces to pan. Roast turkey 30 minutes. Pour 1 cup broth into pan. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Roast turkey 2 hours. Uncover; continue to roast until turkey is golden brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 1 hour longer if unstuffed or about 1 hour 30 minutes longer if stuffed. Transfer to platter. Tent loosely with foil; let stand 30 minutes. Remove neck and giblet pieces from pan; discard. Pour onion mixture into large glass measuring cup; spoon off fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. Add more chicken broth to onion mixture if necessary to measure 5 cups.
• Heat reserved 2 tablespoons turkey fat in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped sage; stir 30 seconds. Add flour; whisk until beginning to color, about 3 minutes (mixture will be dry and crumbly). Gradually whisk in onion mixture, wine and nutmeg. Simmer until gravy thickens to desired consistency, whisking frequently, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
• Serve turkey with gravy.

PARMESAN-SAGE ROAST TURKEY WITH SAGE GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Combine first 4 ingredients in bottom of a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Remove and discard giblets and neck from turkey. Rinse the turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat.
• Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers and gently pushing between skin and meat. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey.
• Combine cheese, 1/4 cup sage, butter, minced garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; rub mixture under the loosened skin and over breast and drumsticks. Rub turkey skin with cut sides of lemon halves; squeeze juice into turkey cavity. Place lemon halves in turkey cavity; tie legs together with kitchen string.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on vegetable mixture in pan. Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes, and pour 2 cups broth over turkey. Tent turkey breast loosely with foil. Bake an additional 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325° (do not remove turkey from oven). Bake at 325°F for 1 1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 180°F, basting every 30 minutes. Remove turkey from pan. Cover and let stand 30 minutes; discard skin.
• Place a large zip-top plastic bag inside a 4-cup glass measure. Pour drippings through a sieve into bag; discard solids. Let drippings stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag, carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a medium bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Add enough of remaining chicken broth to drippings to equal 3 cups.
• Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add sherry; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 54 minutes). Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon sage, and cook for 30 seconds. Add reserved drippings; bring to a boil.
• Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and water, stirring well with a whisk. Stir flour mixture into drippings mixture; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve gravy with turkey.
• Serving size approx 5 oz turkey, 3 tablespoons gravy.
• Chef note: For a beautiful garnish, roast lemon halves and peeled shallots at 425°F for 20 minutes; arrange with fresh sage springs on the turkey platter.