White Wine Basted Turkey Recipes

Steps:

• Crush 6 cloves garlic and add to a very large stockpot (or clean bucket). Stir in lemon juice, Worcestershire, salt and 4 quarts cold water.
• Remove giblets from turkey (if included) and trim excess skin. Submerge the turkey in the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours. If the turkey is not fully submerged, turn it every 8 hours.
• Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse well and pat dry. Discard the brine.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the remaining 4 cloves garlic, lemon zest, oregano, oil, pepper and 2 tablespoons water in a food processor and pulse until it becomes a paste. (Alternatively, chop garlic, lemon zest and oregano on a cutting board until finely minced, then place in a small bowl and stir in oil, pepper and water.) Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh meat. Rub the paste all over the turkey, under the skin onto the breast meat and leg meat and a little inside the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Place the turkey breast-side down in a roasting rack set in a large roasting pan.
• Roast the turkey for 1 hour. Turn it breast-side up on the rack, add 1 cup water to the pan, and continue roasting 1 hour more. Baste the turkey with pan drippings, tent with foil and continue roasting, basting every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165degreesF, 30 to 45 minutes more.
• Transfer the turkey to a large cutting board; let rest for 20 minutes before removing the string and carving.
• Meanwhile, pour any pan juices and fat into a large glass measuring cup and place in the freezer until the fat rises to the top, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, pour the pan juices and fat into a fat separator then pour the defatted juices into a large measuring cup.) Whisk flour with 1/4 cup water in a small bowl.
• Set the roasting pan over two burners on medium heat. Add wine (or vermouth); bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Continue cooking until reduced, about 3 minutes.
• Remove the pan juices from the freezer, skim off the fat with a spoon and discard. Add the defatted juices and broth to the roasting pan; return to a simmer, whisking often. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the flour mixture and simmer until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve and serve with the turkey.
• NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 180 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein; 0 g fiber; 120 mg sodium; 273 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Zinc (19% daily value). 0 Carbohydrate Servings Exchanges: 4 lean meat
• TIP: Shopping tip: Look for turkey labeled "natural" or "organic" in natural-foods stores or well-stocked supermarkets. Turkeys labeled "heritage" are also typically "natural." If you can't find one, don't overlook this recipe. It works with conventional turkey, too; just skip the brining (Steps 1-2) and start with Step 3.
• From www.eatingwell.com with permission. 2009 Eating Well Inc. Photo by Ken Burris

Steps:

• Serves 12 to 14 If your roasting pan only fits sideways in the oven, turn the pan every hour so the turkey cooks and browns evenly.
• For step-by-step photos, see our Roast Turkey and Gravy feature.
• Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels.
• Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
• Place rack on lowest level in oven.
• Heat oven to 450°.
• Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl.
• Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, four-layer square.
• Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan.
• Remove pop up time if there is one, use regular meat thermometer in thick part of leg.
• Fold wing tips under turkey.
• Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey.
• (Stuff loosely if you choose, I do not stuff) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later).
• Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks.
• Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
• Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp.
• Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area.
• Place turkey, legs first, in oven.
• Cook for 30 minutes.
• Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°, and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes, you will need to reheat the butter-wine mixture occasionally as the butter will harden.
• Watch pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
• After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth.
• Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven.
• Baste turkey with pan juices.
• If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine.
• The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully.
• Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
• After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.
• Do not poke into a bone.
• The temperature should reach 180° (stuffing should be between 140° and 160°) and the turkey should be golden brown.
• The breast does not need to be checked for temperature.
• If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
• When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the gravy.
• Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup.
• Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off.
• Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat.
• Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan.
• Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan.
• Add giblet stock to pan.
• Stir well, and bring back to a boil.
• Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more.
• You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy.
• Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.

Steps:

• Preheat roaster/oven to 375 degrees. Pour 1/2 the wine and 1 cup of the stock into the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the garlic in the corners of the pan. Place turkey in the roasting pan and prepare by rubbing with the vegetable oil. Sprinkle the turkey with rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.
• Baste often adding the additional wine and chicken stock as needed. I basted the turkey twice per hour and the total cooking time for a 22 lb. bird (stuffed) was 6 hours (I turn my heat off when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees).
• The last hour of cooking, increase the temperature to 400 degrees and sprinkle with paprika for a nice brown color.
• The roasted garlic is wonderful on warm rolls with dinner. The garlic infused liquid with the turkey drippings also make a very nice gravy. I strained the liquid and added just a small amount of corn starch/cold water mixture and simmered for 3 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325º.
• Place turkey, skin side up, in a shallow roasting pan and insert ovenproof thermometer in the thickest part of the turkey making sure it does not touch the bone.
• Roast 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• While turkey is roasting, mix butter, wine, thyme, salt, paprika, and garlic. After turkey has roasted 1 hour, brush with half of the butter mixture. Roast for 30 more minutes and then brush with remaining butter mixture. Roast for 1 hour longer or until thermometer reads 170º and turkey is no longer pink when you cut into center.
• When turkey is done, place on platter and cover with foil to keep warm Let rest about 15 so that juices can redistribute.
• To make gravy: While turkey is resting, pour pan drippings into measuring cup and skim fat from drippings. Add enough water to drippings to measure 2 cups. Heat drippings to boiling in 1 quart saucepan. Mix cornstarch and cold water; stir into drippings. Boil and stir 1 minute.
• Serve gravy with turkey.

Steps:

• Make basting liquid:
• Bring broth, butter, and wine to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat.
• Add the rosemary and zest and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the honey, remove from heat, set liquid aside, and keep warm.
• Roast the turkey:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season the turkey with salt and pepper.
• Truss the turkey and place, breast side up, in a roasting pan fitted with a wire rack.
• Add garlic cloves and lemon slices in the pan and roast for 30 minutes.
• Baste turkey with liquid and roast, basting again every 30 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh meat reads 175 degrees F -- about 3 hours.
• If you plan to make gravy, reserve the pan drippings.
• Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Place turkey breast, skin side-up, on a rack in a large, shallow roasting pan. Insert an ovenproof meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, being certain that the tip does not touch the bone.
• Roast, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, mix melted butter, wine, garlic, rosemary, basil, parsley, thyme, olive oil, salt, and paprika together in a bowl. Brush 1/2 of the mixture over the turkey and roast for 30 minutes. Brush remaining butter mixture over turkey, and roast until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove turkey from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, pour pan drippings into a 2-cup liquid measure. Skim fat from the surface, then add enough chicken broth to measure 2 cups liquid. Transfer to a small saucepan.
• Bring broth mixture to a boil. Stir cold water and cornstarch together in a small bowl; pour into the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cook and stir until gravy thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve gravy with turkey.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the flour with salt, pepper and herbes de Provence and set aside.
• Heat a large ovenproof Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Fry bacon for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. When fat has rendered, remove bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Leave bacon grease in the pan.
• Coat each piece of turkey in the flour mixture and transfer to the hot pan. Pan fry the turkey for a few minutes on each side, until crisped and golden brown on the outside (but not cooked through). Remove the turkey from the pan and set aside on a plate. Cover with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil.
• Add the shallots to the pan with a tablespoon of olive oil and butter. Saute for 5-10 minutes, until soft, fragrant and golden brown. Add the wine slowly, stirring to get all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock and let it simmer until it reduces, about 5-10 minutes.
• Add the turkey and bacon back to the pan. Cut a tablespoon of butter into small pieces and place over the top of the turkey thighs.
• Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes, basting every 15 minutes with the pan sauce. If the turkey is browning too quickly, cover with foil while baking. Remove from oven when a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F to indicate it is fully cooked. Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Steps:

• Add bay leaves, garlic, onion, salt, sugar and water to a large stock pot.
• Cut lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the rest of the brine ingredients; add the squeezed lemons.
• Bring to a boil and boil 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and cool too room temp; stir in wine.
• Add turkey; brine for 12 to 24 hours.
• Remove the turkey and rinse very well in cold water.
• Butter or oil the skin and roast as usual.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325° F.
• Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with a small skewer. Using small skewers secure wings to body. Transfer turkey to a rack set in a roasting pan and melt butter. Brush inside of turkey with some butter and season with salt and pepper. Put herb sprigs inside body cavity. Brush outside of turkey with remaining butter and season with salt and pepper. Loosely tie drumsticks together with kitchen string. Roast turkey in middle of oven 1 hour.
• Add water to pan and roast turkey, basting every 20 minutes, 2 hours more, or until a meat thermometer inserted in fleshy part of a thigh registers 175° F. and juices run clear when thigh is pierced. Transfer turkey to a heated platter and reserve juices in pan. Remove skewers and discard string. Let turkey stand 30 minutes.
• While turkey is standing, make gravy:
• Finely chop onion. Skim fat from reserved pan juices and reserve 1/2 cup fat (for sautéing onions, below, and for stuffing). On top of stove deglaze pan with wine over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits, and boil mixture until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Add 4 cups stock and bring to a simmer. Pour wine mixture through a sieve into a saucepan.
• In a large, heavy skillet sauté onion in 1/4 cup reserved fat over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until browned, about 15 minutes. Stir in flour and cook roux over moderately low heat, whisking, 3 minutes. Bring wine mixture to a simmer. Add hot wine mixture to roux in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes. Whisk in additional stock to thin gravy to desired consistency. Season gravy with salt and pepper and transfer to a heated sauceboat.
• Garnish turkey with herb bouquet and serve with gravy.