Roast Turkey Pan Gravy Recipes

Steps:

• Remove the package of the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity. Rinse the turkey with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Tie the ends of the drumsticks together.
• Place the turkey, breast side-up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush the turkey with the stock. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, making sure the thermometer is not touching the bone.
• Roast at 325 degrees F for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until the thermometer reads 180 degrees F and the drumstick moves easily, basting occasionally with the stock. Begin checking for doneness after 2 1/2 hours of cooking time. Let stand for 10 minutes.
• Remove the turkey from the roasting pan. Pour off any fat. Stir the stock and flour in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth. Stir the stock mixture in the pan. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens. Season to taste. Serve the gravy with the turkey.
• Serving Suggestion: Serve with savory herb stuffing and cranberry relish. For dessert serve with pumpkin pie.

Steps:

• Spoon off all but about 4 tbsp of the fat in the roasting pan.
• Make sure you leave all the brown bits.
• Add wine (or some stock if not using wine) the onions, shallots and mushrooms.
• Turn heat to high, stirring and scraping until most of the wine has evaporated, the onion is soft and the bottom of the pan is clean.
• Add the stock and continue to cook for about 10 minutes.
• If you are using giblets put them in for this cooking time.
• Mix cornstarch with the water.
• Turn heat to low and stir in the mixed cornstarch.
• The gravy will start to thicken almost immediately.
• Cook stirring until the gravy has thickened, if you want it thicker mix a bit more cornstarch with water and add stirring and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Season to taste with salt& pepper.

Steps:

• Once you've roasted your turkey, pour any pan drippings into a degreasing cup or small bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat, discarding the rest, and add the separated juices to the broth. Add the reserved fat to the roasting pan and place on a burner over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper. Cook until shallot is tender, about 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make a paste with the butter and flour in a small bowl; set aside. Add the broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and whisk in the flour mixture. Boil until sauce thickens to make a gravy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning, to taste. Remove and discard the garlic and bay leaf. Serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Rub the turkey all over with the butter, including the cavity of the breast. Season generously with salt and pepper. Scatter the vegetables on the bottom of a roasting pan just large enough to hold the turkey. Set the turkey breast-side up in the pan. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers 160 degrees F, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil for 30 minutes. (The breast temperature will continue to rise to 170 degrees F as it rests.)
• Pour any pan drippings into a fat separator or small bowl. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the fat; discard the rest or the fat. Add the pan juices to the broth. Add the reserved fat to the roasting pan and place on a burner over medium-high heat. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the broth and continue to stir. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Strain the gravy, discarding the vegetables, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Carve the breast and serve with the gravy.

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, bring the water, cloves, ginger, black peppercorn, bay leaves and salt to a boil. Lower to a simmer and stir in the honey and maple syrup until well blended. Turn off heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold tap water. Reserve the neck and specialty meats for pan gravy. Set the turkey in the brine, making sure that the turkey is fully immersed in the brine. Place a weight on top of the turkey to make sure it is always covered with brine. Marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight, depending on the weight of the turkey, in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a shallow roasting pan, place the carrots, celery and onions. Remove turkey from brine.
• Mix together the butter, garlic, chopped rosemary, and sage to make a compound butter. Using your hands, loosen to the skin from the breast by gently inserting your fingers between the skin and the flesh. Rub the compound butter underneath the skin. Insert the apples, onions, and whole rosemary and sage into the cavity of the turkey.
• Place the turkey over the vegetables, breast-side up, in the roasting pan. Tuck the wings back and under the turkey. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together. This will make a compact shape and will create a great presentation. Drizzle the turkey with olive oil and rub it into the skin. Roast the turkey to at least 165 degrees F in the breast, about 2 1/2 hours. If the skin gets too dark during roasting, tent with foil.
• Transfer turkey to a platter and allow to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the pan gravy.
• Tilt the pan and skim as much fat as possible off the juice with a spoon. Set the pan on 2 burners set on medium heat. Deglaze roasting pan with white wine and Madeira. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any brown bits. Reduce until only a quarter remains. Add the Turkey Stock, thyme and parsley. Bring to a boil and strain into a saucepan. Bring back to a boil, skim and lower to a simmer. Whisk in the beurre manie until well incorporated and continue to cook until gravy has thickened. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Heat a saucepan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and heat. Add the neck and giblets and cook until browned all over, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and deglaze with the port. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the port is almost completely evaporated, about 10 minutes.
• Add the carrots, onions, celery, rosemary and peppercorns. Cover with cold water by 4-inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer for 2 hours, adding a little more water, if necessary. Skim any scum that rises to the surface of the stock and discard.
• Strain the stock. Use immediately, or cool and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Steps:

• Remove the center oven rack and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey and rinse. Reserve for the dressing.
• Place chopped onions, celery, and carrots in the bottom of the roasting pan. Pick a few herbs off the stalks and add to the vegetables. Set aside.
• Pat dry the turkey with paper towels. Season the cavity with kosher salt (approximately 2 tablespoons). Place the quartered onion and the remaining herbs inside the turkey cavity. Cover the tips of the wings with aluminum foil and truss the turkey (see Cook's Note**).
• Rub the turkey with the softened butter. Place the turkey in the roasting pan breast side up on a roasting rack.
• Place the turkey in the oven with the lid on. Baste every hour starting after the first 1 1/2 hours. Cook until an instant read thermometer inserted in the leg meat near the hip joint reads 160 degrees F (approximately 3 hours). Remove the lid and turn the oven up to 400 degrees F. Continue to cook the turkey for 20 to 25 minutes, until the turkey skin is golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the leg meat near the hip joint reads 175 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the pan and let it rest in a warm place for 20 minutes before carving (see Cook's Note***.)
• Place roasting pan over medium heat and add 1/2 cup of water. Use a wooden spoon to help release the drippings from the bottom of the pan. Using a fine sieve, strain drippings into a medium saucepot. Place the saucepot over medium heat.
• Whisk the cream and flour together in a small bowl to create a smooth paste. Add a 1/2 cup of the pan drippings to the cream mixture and whisk together. Pour the cream mixture into the saucepot and whisk together. Cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the perfect turkey.

Steps:

• Pour drippings from roasting pan into bowl, leaving brown particles in pan. Return 1/4 cup drippings to roasting pan. (Measure accurately because too little fat makes gravy lumpy.) Stir in flour. (Measure accurately so gravy is not greasy.)
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Stir in liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Pat turkey dry. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Rub turkey breast with 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold 2-foot-square piece of cheesecloth in half twice, forming 12-inch square. Dip cloth into water; squeeze out excess moisture. Drape cloth over turkey breast, tucking cloth under at sides. Roast 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 1 1/2 cups broth, Port and 4 tablespoons butter to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until butter melts. Baste turkey with 3/4 cup Port mixture. Roast turkey 1 hour 10 minutes, basting twice with remaining Port mixture.
• Add water, onion, carrot and apple to roasting pan; stir to coat vegetables with pan juices. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast 20 minutes. Remove cheesecloth. Roast turkey until skin browns and meat thermometer inserted into innermost part of thigh registers 180°F, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 50 minutes. Transfer turkey to platter; tent with foil.
• Place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Bring pan juices and vegetables to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add Gravy Base and boil uncovered 5 minutes. Scrape mixture into strainer set over large measuring cup, pressing on solids with back of spoon. Spoon fat off top of pan juices. Add enough additional broth to cup to measure 3 cups liquid if necessary, or transfer pan juices to saucepan and boil until reduced to 3 cups if necessary. Bring pan juices to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Mix 3 tablespoons butter and flour in small bowl to form paste. Add paste to pan juices; bring to boil, whisking constantly. Boil until sauce thickens, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve turkey, passing gravy separately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Oil a roasting pan and set it aside.
• Put the onion into the bowl of a food processor. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the lemon in thin strips, being careful not to cut into the bitter white pith. Add the lemon zest to the food processor and reserve the whole lemon for another use. Chop the onion and lemon zest until fine. Add the sage, parsley, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt and pulse until it forms a coarse paste.
• Put 2 of the bay leaves and the butter into a small pan and heat over medium-low heat until the butter is bubbling. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Put the turkey breasts on a work surface. Carefully run your fingers between the skin and the flesh from 1 end, being careful not to pull it completely off, creating a pocket. Season the turkey breasts generously with salt and pepper. Stuff half of the herb paste under the skin of each breast, and spread it evenly under the skin. Transfer the breasts to the roasting pan, and slide 2 bay leaves underneath each one. (The heat of the pan will release the bay leaf oils and flavor the breast.) Using a pastry brush, baste the breasts with half of the bay butter.
• Place the turkey in the oven and immediately decrease the temperature to 400 degrees F. After 20 minutes, baste the turkey breasts with the remaining butter, and roast for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through, and a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the breast registers 170 degrees F.
• Remove from the oven, transfer to a platter, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving while you make the gravy.
• Put the roasting pan over the burner on medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the pan juices, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the apple brandy, and scrape the pan to lift the bits that are stuck to the bottom. Cook for a minute to burn off the alcohol, then, while stirring, pour in the apple cider. Bring to a simmer, and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
• Slice the turkey breast on the diagonal, and serve with warm gravy.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Oil a roasting pan and set it aside.
• Put the onion into the bowl of a mini food processor. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the lemon in thin strips, being careful not to cut into the bitter white pith. Add the lemon zest to the food processor and reserve the whole lemon for another use. Chop the onion and lemon zest until fine. Add the sage, parsley, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt and pulse until it forms a coarse paste.
• Put 2 of the bay leaves and the butter into a small pan and heat over medium-low heat until the butter is bubbling. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Put the turkey breasts on a work surface. Carefully run your fingers between the skin and the flesh from 1 end, being careful not to pull it completely off, creating a pocket. Season the turkey breasts generously with salt and pepper. Stuff half of the herb paste under the skin of each breast, and spread it evenly under the skin. Transfer the breasts to the roasting pan, and slide 2 bay leaves underneath each one. (The heat of the pan will release the bay leaf oils and flavor the breast.) Using a pastry brush, baste the breasts with half of the bay butter. Place the turkey in the oven and immediately decrease the temperature to 400 degrees F. After 20 minutes, baste the turkey breasts with the remaining butter, and roast for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through, and a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the breast registers 170 degrees F.
• Remove from the oven, transfer to a platter, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving while you make the gravy.
• Put the roasting pan over the burner on medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the pan juices, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the apple brandy, and scrape the pan to lift the bits that are stuck to the bottom. Cook for a minute to burn off the alcohol, then, while stirring, pour in the apple cider. Bring to a simmer, and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
• Slice the turkey breast on the diagonal, and serve with warm gravy.

Steps:

• The night before roasting, dissolve salt and sugar in 3 gallons of cold water in a large, clean ice chest or similar container in a cold spot, such as an unheated basement or garage. For those in warm climates, add ice packs to keep turkeys cool. Add turkeys, breast-side down; cover and let stand about 12 hours. (This brining keeps the turkey from drying out and seasons it right down to the bone.) Drain. Rinse turkeys and pat dry.
• About five hours before serving, set oven to 425 degrees and adjust oven rack to lower-middle position. Place turkey No. 1 breast-side down and cut out the back with kitchen shears. Open up turkey and turn it breast-side up, pressing on it with your palms so it lies flat. Place turkey, skin-side up, on a lipped cookie sheet over a bed of half the chopped vegetables. Brush turkey with butter.
• Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 175 degrees, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Watch vegetables and pan drippings throughout - they should be kept dry enough to brown and produce the rich brown goo with which to brush Turkey No. 2 and make a rich gravy, but moist enough to keep from burning. So add water as needed throughout the cooking.
• Remove pan from oven and transfer turkey to a cutting board; reserve vegetables and pan juices for Turkey No. 2. Let the bird rest 30 minutes to 1 hour before carving, to allow the meat to firm up. Carve, transferring slices to an ovenproof serving platter or baking pan. Cover with aluminum foil. Refrigerate or set in a cool spot (below 40 degrees) until mealtime. Gently rewarm, covered, on platter or baking pan.
• Immediately after removing the first turkey, lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees and adjust oven rack to lowest position. Scrape vegetables and pan drippings from Turkey No. 1 into a roasting pan. Set a V-rack in the pan. Place remaining raw vegetables in the cavity of Turkey No. 2, then tie legs together with kitchen string for a nicer presentation. Set turkey, breast-side down, on rack. Brush with pan drippings from Turkey No. 1.
• Roast 1 hour. Remove from oven; baste back and sides with pan drippings. Using two wads of paper towels, carefully turn breast-side up and baste. Keep roasting until a thermometer inserted into the leg registers 175 degrees, 1 to 1 1/2 hours longer. Again, watch vegetables and drippings throughout and add water as needed. Transfer turkey to a platter for display (and then for seconds and leftovers).
• For gravy: Set roasting pan over 2 burners on medium-high heat. Add wine and, using a wooden spoon, stir to loosen brown bits. Strain contents of pan through a large strainer into a saucepan. Add broth and bring to a boil. Whisk cornstarch with 1/2 cup water (or 1/2 cup flour with 1 cup water), then gradually whisk into pan juices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Brine:.
• In a large stockpot, bring the water, cloves, ginger, black peppercorn, bay leaves and salt to a boil.
• Lower to a simmer and stir in the honey and maple syrup until well blended.
• Turn off heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold tap water.
• Reserve the neck and specialty meats for pan gravy.
• Set the turkey in the brine, making sure that the turkey is fully immersed in the brine.*.
• Place a weight on top of the turkey to make sure it is always covered with brine.**.
• Marinate for at least 4 hrs to overnight, depending on the weight of the turkey, in the refrigerator.
• Turkey:.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a shallow roasting pan, place the carrots, celery and onions.
• Remove turkey from brine.
• Mix together the butter, garlic, chopped rosemary, and sage to make a compound butter. Using your hands, loosen to the skin from the breast by gently inserting your fingers between the skin and the flesh. Rub the compound butter underneath the skin.
• Insert the apples, onions, and whole rosemary and sage into the cavity of the turkey.
• Place the turkey over the vegetables, breast-side up, in the roasting pan.
• Tuck the wings back and under the turkey. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together. This will make a compact shape and will create a great presentation.
• Drizzle the turkey with olive oil and rub it into the skin.
• Roast the turkey to at least 165 degrees F in the breast, about 2 ½ hours. If the skin gets too dark during roasting, tent with foil.
• Transfer turkey to a platter and allow to rest. Meanwhile, prepare the pan gravy.
• Gravy:.
• Tilt the pan and skim as much fat as possible off the juice with a spoon.
• Set the pan on 2 burners set on medium heat.
• Deglaze roasting pan with white wine and Madeira.
• Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any brown bits. Reduce until only a quarter remains.
• Add the turkey stock, thyme and parsley.
• Bring to a boil and strain into a saucepan. Bring back to a boil, skim and lower to a simmer.
• Whisk in the beurre manie until well incorporated and continue to cook until gravy has thickened.
• Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Turkey stock:.
• Heat a saucepan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and heat.
• Add the neck and giblets and cook until browned all over, about 7 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and deglaze with the port.
• Return the pan to the heat and cook until the port is almost completely evaporated, about 20 minutes.
• Add the carrots, onions, celery, rosemary and peppercorn.
• Cover with cold water by 4-inches. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer for 2 horus, adding a little more water, if necessary.
• Skim any scum that rises to the surface of the stock and discard.
• Strain the stock. Use immediately, or cool and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• * I use a bright orange, new, 5-gallon painters bucket with lid from hardware store.
• **I use a well-scrubbed brick that has been baked at 350 degrees in an oven for 30 minutes. After thoroughly cooled, wrap with foil and place in a zip-lock bag, removing all the air.

Steps:

• For gravy base:
• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add turkey parts; sauté 10 minutes. Add onions, celery, and bay leaves; sauté until onions are soft, about 8 minutes. Add cloves, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg; stir 10 seconds. Add cider, broth, and apple; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain stock into medium saucepan. Discard solids. Stir honey and vinegar into gravy base. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.)
• For turkey:
• Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 500°F. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Sprinkle main cavity generously with salt and pepper. Place onion wedges, apple wedges, and crumbled bay leaves in cavity. Starting at neck end, carefully slide hand between skin and breast meat of turkey to loosen skin. Rub 4 tablespoons butter over breast meat under skin. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Tuck wing tips under. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Rub remaining 3 tablespoons butter over outside of turkey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place turkey in oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast turkey 1 hour; pour 1 cup chicken broth over turkey. Roast 1 hour, basting once with pan drippings. Pour 1 cup chicken broth over turkey. Roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, basting once with pan drippings and covering turkey loosely with foil if browning too quickly, about 1 hour longer. Transfer turkey to platter; cover loosely with foil. Let turkey rest 20 to 30 minutes (internal temperature of turkey will increase 5 to 10 degrees).
• Pour pan juices into large measuring cup. Spoon fat off top of pan juices and discard. Return pan juices to roasting pan; add gravy base. Place roasting pan over 2 burners and bring gravy to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until gravy is reduced to 31/4 cups, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits, about 15 minutes. Season gravy to taste with salt and pepper. Strain gravy into bowl.
• Serve turkey with gravy.

Steps:

• Mix butter, chopped parsley, chopped sage, chopped thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl to blend. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Transfer herb butter to small bowl; cover and refrigerate. Bring butter to room temperature before using.) Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Sprinkle main cavity of turkey with salt and pepper. Place whole parsley, sage and thyme sprigs and 4 shallot halves in cavity. Starting at neck end, carefully slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin. Spread 3 tablespoons herb butter over breast meat under skin. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together to hold shape. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Rub 4 tablespoons herb butter over turkey. Cover only breast area of turkey with sheet of heavy-duty foil. Scatter remaining shallots in pan around turkey.
• Roast turkey 30 minutes; baste with 1/2 cup broth. Continue roasting turkey for 1 1/2 hours, basting with 1/2 cup broth every 30 minutes. Remove foil from over turkey breast. Continue to roast turkey until golden brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes, about 1 hour longer. Transfer turkey to platter. Brush with 1 tablespoon herb butter. Tent loosely with foil; let stand 20 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer shallots from roasting pan to plate. Pour pan juices into medium bowl; spoon off fat and discard. Add wine and 1 cup chicken broth to roasting pan. Set pan directly over 2 burners and bring broth mixture to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Continue to boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes; pour into large glass measuring cup. Add degreased pan juices. Add enough broth if necessary to equal 3 cups liquid.
• Blend flour into remaining herb butter. Pour broth mixture into heavy medium saucepan and bring to boil. Gradually whisk in herb butter mixture. Add any accumulated juices from turkey platter. Boil until gravy thickens enough to coat spoon lightly, whisking occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add shallots to gravy; simmer 1 minute. Season gravy with salt and pepper. Serve turkey with gravy.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix 2 tablespoons salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Tuck turkey wings under the bird, and season cavity with about 1 tablespoon of the poultry seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining poultry seasoning mix.
• Toss the onion, celery, and carrots together in a bowl. Stuff about 1/2 cup of the vegetable mixture, rosemary sprigs, and 1/2 bunch sage into the cavity of the turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Loosen the skin on top of the turkey breast using fingers or a small spatula. Place about 2 tablespoons butter under the skin and spread evenly. Spread the remaining butter (about 2 tablespoons) all over the outside of the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with the remaining poultry seasoning mix.
• Spread the remaining onion, celery, and carrots into a large roasting pan. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables. Fill the pan with about 1/2 inch of water. Arrange a sheet of aluminum foil over the breast of the turkey.
• Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Remove the foil during the last hour of cooking. Baste the turkey with the pan juices.
• While the turkey is roasting, make stock: place neck, heart, and gizzards in a saucepan with the bay leaf and water. Simmer over medium heat for 2 hours. Strain the turkey giblets from the stock, and discard giblets. There should be at least 4 cups of stock.
• Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Pour the pan juices, about 3 cups, into a saucepan and set aside. Skim off the turkey fat from the pan juices, reserving about 2 tablespoons.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the turkey fat and 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Transfer the onion from the roasting pan into the skillet. Cook and stir until the onion is browned, about 5 minutes, then stir in the flour. Continue to cook and stir for about 5 minutes more; whisk in 4 cups of the skimmed turkey stock and the reserved pan juices until smooth; skim off any foam. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Simmer until the gravy is thickened, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped sage, and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Steps:

• Season the turkey on the outside with salt and pepper, and place it, breast side up, in a heavy roasting pan just large enough to accommodate it. Arrange the liver, neck, and gizzard around the turkey. (The giblets are often in a little package hidden in the neck end of the bird.) Fold a sheet of aluminum foil to create a triple thickness, making it just large enough to cover the breast. Rub butter evenly on one side of the folded foil, then place it, buttered side down, over the breast.
• Slide the bird into the oven and turn on the oven to 350°F (there is no need to preheat). Roast for about 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue to roast the turkey for about 1 1/2 hours longer, or until a thermometer inserted into the space between the thigh and the breast without touching bone reads 140°F. Transfer the turkey to a platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest in a warm spot for at least 20 minutes before carving.
• To make the gravy, remove the liver, gizzard, and neck from the roasting pan. Remove the meat from the neck and discard the bones. Place the neck meat, gizzard, and liver in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Do not process to a paste. Set the giblets aside.
• Check the juices in the roasting pan. If you have a lot of juices, transfer them to a glass pitcher, skim off the fat with a ladle, and return 3 tablespoons of the fat to the pan. If you have very few juices, place the pan on the stove top, boil down the juices until they caramelize on the bottom of the pan and separate from the fat, and pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat. Add the flour to the fat in the pan over medium heat and stir together for 1 minute to cook the flour and form a roux. If you have degreased juices, add broth to the measuring pitcher to total 3 cups. Gradually stir in the broth or broth-juices mixture and continue to stir over medium to medium-high heat until the roux and the caramelized juices dissolve into the gravy and the gravy is smooth and has thickened to a nice consistency. Add the ground giblets, stir well, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the gravy into a warmed sauceboat.
• Carve the bird and serve with the gravy.