ROAST TURKEY WITH HERB BUTTER AND CARAMELIZED ONION GRAVY

By gaster16

Ingredients

• Onion Base for Gravy:
• 1 stick butter
• 4 large onions thinly sliced
• 1-1/2 tablespoons each chopped fresh rosemary
• Fresh thyme
• All-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• Turkey:
• 3/4 stick butter at room temperature
• 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• One 21-22 lb. turkey
• 1 large onion quartered
• 4-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 large springs each of rosemary and thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour

Preparation

Step 1

Onion Base for Gravy:

Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until deep brown, about 40 minutes. Mix in rosemary and thyme, then flour, stir 1 minute. Add vinegar and honey, simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Turkey:

Mix butter and herbs in small bowl. Rinse turkey inside and out, pat dry. Place on rack set in large roasting pan. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Starting at neck end, slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin. Spread 1/4 cup herb butter over breast meat under skin. Rub remaining butter over outside of turkey. Place turkey parts and onion quarters in pan around turkey. Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Roast turkey uncovered 1 hour. Tent turkey breast and tops of drumsticks loosely with foil, roast 1 hour longer. Add 1 cup broth, herb sprigs, and bay leaf to drippings in pan, basting with 3/4 cup broth and pan juices every 30 minutes, about 2.5 hours longer. Strain pan juices, spoon fat off top. Heat gravy base over medium heat. Whisk in flour, then pan juices. Season with salt and pepper.