Memes Roast Turkey and Giblet Gravy

• 2 gallons water
• 1 cup Diamond Brand kosher salt (see page 101)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 (12- to 14-pound) turkey, neck and giblets reserved for stock
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
• 2 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 4 fresh sage leaves
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
• 1 onion, preferably Vidalia, peeled
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Neck and giblets from the turkey
• 5 cups water
• 1 onion, preferably Vidalia, halved
• 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
• 4 cups Turkey Giblet Stock (page 116)
• 2 large onions, preferably Vidalia, finely chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, hard-cooked (see page 11) and finely chopped

1. To brine the turkey, combine the 2 gallons water, salt, and sugar in a large, nonreactive bucket or stockpot, if storing in the refrigerator, or in an insulated cooler, if not.
2. Two gallons of water will be sufficient for most birds; larger birds may require three.
3. Submerge the turkey in the brine and refrigerate for up to 14 hours.
4. If using a cooler, add ice or freezer packs to keep the bird very cold.
5. Remove the bird from the liquid and rinse inside and out with cold water.
6. Discard the brine.
7. Preheat the oven to 425F.
8. Position an oven rack in the lowest part of the oven.
9. To roast the turkey, season the bird inside and out with pepper (no salt is necessary because of the brining).
10. Place the celery, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, bay leaf, and onion in the cavity.
11. Working from the cavity end, loosen the skin without tearing by running your fingers between the skin and flesh of the breast.
12. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter under the skin and spread evenly.
13. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine and fold the wings under the body.
14. Transfer the turkey to a rack in a large roasting pan.
15. Rub the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over the skin.
16. Roast for 30 minutes.
17. Decrease the oven temperature to 350F.
18. Baste the turkey with pan drippings and continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh registers 165F, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
19. Meanwhile, prepare the giblet stock.
20. While the turkey is roasting, place the neck, heart, and gizzard in a medium saucepan.
21. (Do not add the liver now because it will make the stock bitter.)
22. Add the water, onion, and bay leaf.
23. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
24. Decrease the heat to low and simmer until tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
25. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a small saucepan and discard the onion and bay leaf.
26. Finely chop the heart and gizzard and set aside.
27. Using a small paring knife, remove as much of the meat as possible from the neck bone.
28. Set aside with the chopped heart and gizzard.
29. Keep the stock warm.
30. Transfer the turkey to a rimmed cutting board or warm serving platter.
31. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let rest 30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.
32. Meanwhile, prepare the gravy.
33. Remove the rack from the roasting pan and set aside.
34. Pour the juices from the roasting pan into a fat separator and set aside.
35. The fat will rise to the top and the juices and dark drippings will stay at the bottom.
36. If you do not have a fat separator, pour the juices into a glass measuring cup and remove the fat with a metal spoon; reserve the fat and the drippings.
37. Pour the separated drippings into a large liquid measuring cup.
38. Add enough of the reserved giblet stock to make 4 cups.
39. Set aside.
40. Place the roasting pan across two burners on the cooktop over medium-high heat.
41. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved fat and the onions.
42. Cook until clear and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
43. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
44. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes.
45. Add the sage and cook for 1 minute.
46. Add the turkey stock mixture and any turkey juices accumulated on the platter and bring to a boil.
47. In a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, blend together the flour and butter to make a paste (beurre manie, French technique for thickening sauces).
48. Whisk the flour mixture into the gravy, and decrease the heat to low.
49. Finely chop the reserved liver and hard-cooked eggs and add to the gravy.
50. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and the liver is cooked, about 10 minutes.
51. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
52. To serve, carve the turkey and arrange on a serving platter.
53. Transfer the gravy to a serving boat and pass around with the turkey.
54. Serve with plenty of cornbread dressing and biscuits.
55. Instant-read thermometers are indispensable when cooking a large piece of meat because, while the doneness of steaks and chicken breasts can often be gauged by touching the meat and feeling for firmness, a large piece of meat needs a thermometer to really see whats inside.
56. The plastic pop-up timers found in many turkeys are unreliable, often resulting in an overcooked bird.

water, kosher salt, sugar, turkey, freshly ground black pepper, celery, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, bay leaf, onion, unsalted butter, turkey, water, onion, bay leaf, turkey giblet, onions, white wine, sage, flour, unsalted butter, eggs

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/meme-s-roast-turkey-and-giblet-gravy-380355 (may not work)