Whole Roasted Holiday Ranch Turkey Recipes

WHOLE ROASTED HOLIDAY RANCH TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a small bowl, mix the butter together with one of the packets of seasoning mix until well blended.
• Carefully separate the breast skin from the breast by moving your hand underneath the skin. Spread the butter mixture evenly under the skin and sprinkle the remaining packet of seasoning mix all over the turkey.
• Roast the turkey covered for 3 hours, then uncover and cook for another 30 minutes, or until juices run clear and an internal temperature of 165°F is reached. Let rest at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

RANCH TURKEY

Steps:

• Allow the turkey to come to room temperature for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning from 1 packet and reserve. In a small bowl, mix together 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of butter with the remaining ranch seasoning from both packets until well incorporated.
• Arrange the carrots, celery and onions in the bottom of a roasting pan, then put a roasting rack over them. Put the turkey on the rack and spread the ranch butter all over and underneath the skin. Season generously with salt and pepper. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and put the turkey inside to roast.
• In the meantime, add the maple syrup and 2 cups of chicken stock to a saucepan, then stir in the 2 tablespoons reserved ranch seasoning. Bring to a simmer just to warm through and incorporate the seasoning. Roast the turkey, basting with this liquid every 20 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 160 degrees F (allow about 1 hour of cooking time for every 3 pounds of turkey). Tent with a piece of aluminum foil and let rest at least 30 minutes. (There will be carryover cooking and the temperature will rise to 165 degrees F while resting.)
• For the gravy, strain the juices left in the bottom of the roasting pan into a fat separator and pour the fat off the top. Put the roasting pan on a burner on top of the stove over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and whisk in the flour, cooking for a minute. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 cups chicken stock along with any remaining braising liquid and the juices from the roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper and serve alongside the turkey.

HOLIDAY HIDDEN VALLEY® RANCH ROASTED TURKEY WITH CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove top rack. Prepare compound butter by combining butter and dressing mix in a small bowl; stir with spoon until well incorporated. Adjust seasoning with freshly ground black pepper; set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon of compound butter in medium skillet. Toss apple cubes in melted butter and cook approximately 2 minutes to gently caramelize. Remove apple cubes and set aside. In same pan melt half of compound butter over medium heat, reserving remaining compound butter for turkey. Add onion and rosemary; cook until lightly browned. Add Italian sausage meat and cook 10 minutes, until soft and golden. Scrape sausage mixture into large mixing bowl, add apple and cornbread pieces; toss to combine. Season well with salt and pepper. In separate bowl, whisk egg, cream and 1/2 cup stock; pour liquid over cornbread mixture. Stir stuffing together; set aside. Rinse turkey thoroughly inside and out with cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Using fingers, gently lift skin from breast and rub dressing mix compound butter under skin, massaging breast meat as you go. Spread remaining compound butter over exterior of skin, covering wings, legs and any gaps. Stuff bird with prepared stuffing. Truss with kitchen twine or simply cross legs over and secure with twine. Position turkey on rack in large roasting pan; transfer to oven. Roast turkey approximately 3 hours, until instant-read thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 170 degrees F (thigh juices will run clear when pricked with knife, 15 minutes per pound). If legs or breast brown too quickly during roasting, cover with foil. Remove turkey from oven; transfer to serving tray to rest while making gravy. Skim off most fat from pan drippings with spoon and position roasting pan across two burners over medium-high heat. Using wooden spoon, scrape up browned bits stuck to bottom of pan. Whisk in flour, stirring as it thickens to prevent lumps. Pour in remaining 2 1/2 cups stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly to blend and prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer; season with salt, pepper and squeeze of lemon juice to brighten flavors. Simmer for 5 minutes; strain to remove solids. Serve with turkey and stuffing.

WHOLE ROASTED TURKEYS WITH FENNEL SPICE RUB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove necks and giblets and put into a large saucepan. Add onions, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, and the chicken stock. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat and let simmer until reduced to about 2 cups. Strain and reserve; this is the turkey stock that you will use for the gravy.
• Wash the turkeys, inside and out, and dry well. Coat inside and out with half of the olive oil. Season each turkey on the outside generously with the spice rub, pressing it in to adhere. Place 4 rosemary sprigs and 2 lemon halves inside the cavity of each turkey.
• Arrange 4 of the halved carrots and 4 celery stalks on each of 2 half-sheet pans or baking sheets. Position each turkey on top of the carrots and celery so that the turkey does not rest directly on the bottom of the pan. Drizzle turkeys with remaining olive oil.
• Roast until an instant-read thermometer (inserted deep into the thigh but away from the bone) reads 165 degrees F and juices in the thigh run clear when pierced with a fork, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours; begin checking at 2 hours. Remove from the pans and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Reserve pan juices for gravy.
• While turkeys are resting, make the gravy. In a medium heavy saucepan, cook flour and butter over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until a blond roux is formed. Add pan juices and then reserved turkey stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and let simmer until thickened and ready to serve.
• Carve turkey as desired and serve with gravy.
• Put the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a heavy pan over medium heat. Watch carefully, tossing frequently so the seeds toast evenly. When light brown and fragrant, pour the seeds onto a plate to cool. They must be cool before grinding, or they will gum up the blades.
• Pour the seeds into a blender and add the salt. Blend to a fine powder, shaking the blender occasionally to redistribute the seeds. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.

WHOLE ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove neck, giblets and liver from turkey. Wash inside and out with cold water and pat dry.
• Mix 1/2 pound of butter with the chopped rosemary, salt and pepper. With your hands, carefully separate breast skin from the meat and spread rosemary butter in between.
• Rub turkey inside and outside with salt and black pepper. (If desired, stuff with mushroom stuffing)
• Place onion, carrots, celery, garlic, giblets, neck and liver on the bottom of your roasting pan. Place turkey on top of mixture. Rub turkey with 1 cup of olive oil and transfer to preheated oven. Roast for 45 minutes, then baste every 20 minutes. Add chicken stock as needed so that the vegetables don't burn.
• Roast between 15 and 20 minutes per pound until internal temperature is at least 165 and no more than 180 degrees F. in the thickest part of the thigh.
• Remove and let rest in warm place before serving.
• Add the pomegranate juice to the roasting pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into small saucepan and with a ladle, remove excess fat and reduce until the sauce is slightly thickened.
• Place turkey on serving platter. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Spoon tablespoons of sauce over turkey.
• Render foie gras or chicken liver in saute pan. Remove and pour rendered fat over bread. Dice and reserve. (If you use chicken liver instead or foie gras, add 4 tablespoons of butter).
• Rinse dried porcini and soak in warm water. Drain and chop mushrooms, reserving liquid.
• Heat olive oil in saute pan over medium heat and add onions, celery and pancetta. Cook until vegetables become translucent. Combine dried mushrooms and fresh mushrooms and add reserved mushroom liquid and stock. Cook over medium heat and reduce until almost dry. Set aside.
• Place foie gras or chicken liver and dried bread crumbs in a large bowl. Add herbs, beaten eggs and mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
• Stuff turkey according to recipe (or place stuffing in a buttered gratin dish and bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven for 30 minutes).