All American Turkey Recipes

THE WORLD'S BEST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Gently loosen turkey breast skin, and insert pieces of butter between the skin and breast. Place apples inside the turkey's cavity. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place turkey in a roasting bag, and pour Champagne over the inside and outside of the bird. Close bag, and place turkey in a roasting pan.
• Bake turkey 3 to 3 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, or until the internal temperature is 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) when measured in the meatiest part of the thigh. Remove turkey from bag, and let stand for at least 20 minutes before carving.

A SIMPLY PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place rack in the lowest position of the oven.
• Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing. Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Position an aluminum foil tent over the turkey.
• Place turkey in the oven, and pour 2 cups turkey stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 to 2 cups at a time. Remove aluminum foil after 2 1/2 hours. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (75 degrees C), about 4 hours.
• Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

ALL AMERICAN TURKEY

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the Giblet Broth a day ahead: Simmer the broth ingredients until the giblets are tender, about 1 hour, skimming off any foam. Strain broth and set aide; reserve giblets and neck. Shred the meat from the neck and mince the giblets; combine. Cover and refrigerate the broth and meats until ready to use.
• 2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Squeeze orange halves inside turkey body and neck cavities; sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper. Fill cavities loosely with stuffing, using about 3 cups for the neck and 8 cups for the body. Truss the turkey. Rub with softened butter and sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper.
• 3. Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour 2 cups of the reserved Giblet Broth into the bottom of the pan and cover the turkey loosely with foil. Place in the oven and roast for 1 1/2 hours.
• 4. Remove the foil and roast the turkey for 2 1/2 hours more, basting with the pan juices every 30 minutes.
• 5. Raise the oven temperature to 350°F and cook for an additional 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 180°F. The temperature at the thickest part of the breast should be 160°F. The juices should run clear when the thigh is pricked with a small knife.
• 6. Prepare Giblet Gravy: Heat pan juices in roasting pan, scraping up all brown bits. Defat; pour into a measuring cup.
• 7. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking for 2 to 3 minutes, or until mixture browns slightly. Slowly pour in 2 cups of the reserved pan juices, whisking constantly until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring, until gravy has thickened. For a thinner gravy, add more broth. Adjust seasonings; heat before serving.