Sheila Lukins' Favorite Thanksgiving Turkey

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I clean my turkey the day before, remove the giblets and get a head start on the giblet broth, which is used in the gravy. So, get your gravy started; just add the pan drippings when the turkey is finished. And cook your turkey Thanksgiving morning—it just means setting the alarm early, but it’s worth it. Then, you can serve dinner at one in the afternoon, and everyone can recover while watching the games.
Happy Thanksgiving!

ingredients: Add all to shopping list

Giblet Broth
(make one day ahead):
Giblets and neck from turkey, rinsed
1 cup extra giblets, about 3/4 pound
4 chicken backs, about 13/4 pounds total
2 ribs of celery, with leaves
2 medium-sized onions, unpeeled
2 cloves of garlic, bruised
4 parsley sprigs
4 whole cloves
4 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Salt, to taste

Turkey
(make Thanksgiving Day):
1 fresh turkey
(about 18 pounds)
1 orange, halved
Paprika, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
About 10 to 12 cups Cornbread Stuffing (see recipe)
6 tablespoons soft butter

Giblet Gravy
(make Thanksgiving Day):
Pan juices from turkey
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons Madeira or dry sherry
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Giblet mixture (see Steps 1 and 2)
Giblet Broth, if needed

2 or 3 large bunches fresh sage, for garnish

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At a glance:

Servings: 16

Active Time: 1 hour

Total Time: Approximately 6 hours

Key Tags:

dinner turkey broth gravy stuffing thanksgiving holiday shiela lukins dash classic

directions:

1. Place broth ingredients in a saucepan; add water to cover. Simmer 1 hour or until giblets are tender; skim off foam. Strain broth into a bowl; reserve. Discard vegetables; reserve giblets, neck and chicken.

2. Shred the meat from the neck and chicken backs; discard skin. Chop the giblets finely. Combine the meats and giblets. Reserve in the refrigerator for Giblet Gravy.

3. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Rinse the turkey and pat dry. Squeeze orange halves inside the body and neck cavities; sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper. Stuff the cavities loosely with the stuffing, using about 3 cups for the neck and 8 cups for the body. Close the turkey and tie the legs together. Rub the turkey with butter and sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper.

4. Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Pour 2 cups of the reserved Giblet Broth into the bottom of the pan and cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil. Place in the oven and roast for 11/2 hours.

5. Remove foil; roast turkey for 21/2 hours more, basting with the pan juices every 30 minutes.

6. Raise the oven temperature to 350°F and cook for 1 to 11/4 hours more 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, and 165°F in the deepest part of the stuffing. The juices should run clear when the thigh is pricked with a small knife.

7. Remove turkey to a platter; let rest 20 minutes, covered loosely with foil, before carving. Remove stuffing from the turkey and cover with foil. Reserve pan juices.

8. Prepare Giblet Gravy: Heat pan juices in the roasting pan, scraping up any brown bits from the pan. Skim off fat, then pour defatted juices into a large measuring cup.

9. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it browns slightly. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in 2 cups of the reserved pan juices and continue whisking until smooth. Bring the gravy to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the Madeira, thyme, salt, pepper, parsley and reserved giblet mixture. Simmer, stirring, for 10 minutes or until the gravy thickens. Adjust seasonings to taste. Heat before serving.

10. Present the turkey before carving it. Then, arrange the carved meat on a large, decorative platter. Garnish with fresh sage and serve with the gravy.