Braised Turkey

By SallySmo

Ingredients

• Turkey
• Salt/pepper
• 1 C sugar
• 1 5-7# bone-in turkey breast
• 4 # turkey drumsticks and thighs
• 3 onions, chopped
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
• 1 C dry white wine
• 4 C low sodium chicken broth
• 4 Tbsp butter, melted
• 6 springs fresh parsley
• 6 springs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Gravy
• 3 Tbsp flour
• Salt/pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Dissolve 1 C salt and 1 C sugar in 2 gallons cold water. Submerge turkey pieces in brine, cover and refrigerate for 3-6 hours or overnight.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat to 500 degrees. Remove turkey from bring and pat dry. Toss onions, celery, carrots, garlic, bay, thyme, parsley, porcini and 2 Tbsp butter in roasting pan; arrange in even layer.

Brush turkey pieces with remaining 2 Tbsp butter and season with salt/pepper. Place turkey pieces, skin side up, over vegetables, leaving at least 1/4" between pieces. Roast until skin is lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and reduce temp to 325. Pour wine and broth around turkey pieces (it should come up about 3/4 way up legs/thighs). Place 12" x 16" piece parchment paper over turkey pieces. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil. Return covered roasting pan to oven and cook until breasts register 175 degrees, about 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 hours.

Transfer turkey to carving board, tent loosely with foil, let rest for 20 minutes.

Strain vegetables and liquid from roasting pan through fine mesh strainer set in a large bowl. Press solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard veggies. Transfer liquid to fat separator; allow to settle, 5 minutes. Reserve 3 Tbsp fat. Measure out 3 C liquid (reserve remaining for another use).

Heat reserved fat in medium saucepan over med high heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly until flour is dark golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 3 C liquid and bring to boil. Reduce heat to med low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until gravy is thick and reduced to 2 cups, 15-20 minutes. Remove gravy from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

-Fancy Montoya