Turkey With Herb Butter & Caramelized Onion Balsamic Gravy

photo by mersaydees


- Ready In:
- 5hrs
- Ingredients:
- 20
- Serves:
-
10
ingredients
-
For Turkey
- 16 -18 lbs turkey, neck and giblets reserved for gravy
- fresh rosemary sprig (optional)
- fresh sage sprig (optional)
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons orange peel, grated
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 4 teaspoons salt
-
For Gravy
- 5 1⁄2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 large onions, halved, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1⁄3 cup flour
- 1⁄2 cup balsamic vinegar
directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Place on rack in roasting pan. Sprinkle cavities with salt and pepper.
- If not stuffing turkey, place rosemary and sage sprigs in main cavity. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing loosely into main cavity.
- Melt butter in saucepan. Mix in chopped rosemary, sage, orange peel, pepper and salt. Brush herb butter over turkey.
- Tuck wing tips under turkey; tie legs together to hold shape. Roast turkey 1 hour. Baste with pan juices. Continue roasting turkey until thermometer inserted into thigh registers 180°F, basting every 20 minutes, about 2 3/4 hours longer if unstuffed or about 3 1/4 hours longer if stuffed.
- Meanwhile, prepare gravy: Combine turkey neck and giblets, 5 1/2 cups broth, quartered onion and bay leaf in saucepan. Simmer until reduced to 3 cups liquid, skimming occasionally, about 1 hour.
- Strain turkey stock.
- Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add sliced onions; saute 10 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon rosemary and 1 tablespoon sage and saute until onions are golden, about 10 minutes.
- Add flour; stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in turkey stock.
- Boil until gravy thickens, stirring often, about 3 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon each rosemary and sage.
- Transfer turkey to platter. Tent with foil. Pour juices from pan into large glass measuring cup; spoon off fat.
- Add juices to gravy.
- Add vinegar to roasting pan. Bring vinegar to simmer over medium heat, scraping up browned bits.
- Pour mixture into heavy small saucepan. Boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes; add to gravy.
- Rewarm gravy; thin with more chicken broth, if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
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Reviews
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This is my new favorite turkey recipe for Thanksgiving! Loved how easy it is to prepare and the flavorful gravy. I used recipe #263524 for the stuffing, which I filled the turkey breast cavity with prior to turning on the crockpot. A couple of gravy mistakes I made which I note because I'll read this review the next time I make this: I didn't strain the gravy and I didn't thin it enough. I used fresh rosemary and sage. This is my go-to turkey recipe! Love it! Thanks, Cooks4_6! Not made for any tag game, food.com event, or recipe swap! Looked for a great Thanksgiving turkey recipe and I found one!!! Lol!
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I agree with everyone else. This makes a delicious, scrumptious, delectable, and every other adjective I can think of, turkey and gravy! I would make this recipe again just for the gravy. I have never had a better gravy! I also have not brined a turkey before, and this does make for a moist turkey all the way around. Tonight for dinner we had open-faced turkey sandwiches with gravy on top. Mmmm. The best kind of left-overs (the kind you can't wait to eat). I will definitely make this again! Many thanks, Cooks4_6 for posting this!
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Made this turkey for Thanksgiving and am now just getting around to reviewing it. i was unable to find fresh sage and rosemary, but used freeze dried sage and dried (McCormick) rosemary and it turned out great! It was also my first attempt at gravy - everything was wonderful......nothing but compiments from our Thanksgiving company! Will definetly share and do again!
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Cook4_6
United States
I am originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota and moved to Ohio in 1978. It was quite a culture shock going from the city to living next to the Amish. I spend most of my time cooking, cleaning and caring for my four kids. I have abandoned cookbooks and now cook from favorite, wilted recipe pages and the internet. I fell in love with my Italian family recipes (Scavo, Rotella, Scalzo, Micelli, Grande, Gigliotti) and my Mom's homecooked meals.