Roast Turkey with Fried Sage and Pecans
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup canola oil, for frying
- 1 large garlic clove, smashed
- 1 cup sage leaves
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- One 18-pound turkey
- 1 carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
- 4 cups Turkey Stock
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the pecans to a food processor and let cool completely.
- In a medium skillet, heat the oil.
- Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until very lightly golden, about 1 minute.
- Add the sage leaves and fry, stirring gently, until crisp, about 2 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage leaves and garlic clove to a paper towellined plate and let cool.
- Add half of the sage leaves and the garlic clove to the food processor along with the butter and 1 tablespoon of salt; pulse until smooth.
- Transfer 1/4 cup of the butter to a small bowl and stir in the flour; reserve.
- Beginning at the neck end, gently separate the turkey skin from the breast and legs using your fingers.
- Season the turkey cavity with salt.
- Rub half of the pecan-sage butter from the food processor under the skin, spreading it over the breast and thighs.
- Set the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan and scatter the carrot and onion in the pan; add 1 1/2 cups of water.
- Rub the remaining pecan-sage butter from the food processor all over the outside of the turkey.
- Roast on the bottom rack of the oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted deep in the thigh registers 170; halfway through roasting, add 1 1/2 cups of water to the roasting pan and tent the turkey with foil.
- Transfer the turkey to a carving board and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, strain the pan juices into a large measuring cup; discard the solids.
- Spoon off the fat and discard it.
- (You should have about 2 cups of defatted pan juices.)
- In a large saucepan, boil the turkey stock until it is reduced to 3 cups, about 15 minutes.
- Set the roasting pan over 2 burners on high heat; add the reduced stock and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom and side of the pan.
- Strain the stock into the saucepan, add the pan juices and bring to a simmer.
- Whisk in the reserved pecan-sage butter with flour and simmer over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 4 minutes.
- Season with salt.
- Carve the turkey, transfer to a platter and garnish with the reserved sage leaves.
- Serve the turkey, passing the gravy at the table.
pecans, canola oil, garlic, sage, butter, kosher salt, allpurpose, turkey, carrot, onion, turkey stock
Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/roast-turkey-fried-sage-and-pecans (may not work)