Every Possible Way to Cook a Turkey
During the holidays, theres nothing better than having a house full of family and friends and this Thanksgiving, whether youre serving six or sixty, weve got a turkey recipe for you. From tasty new twists to tried-and-true traditions, turkey has truly never tasted tastier! May we suggest you try one of those tasty new twists? The new turkey on the block is basted in a soy-and-butter sauce that produces a richly-flavored bird and not to mention a seriously luscious gravy youll want to pour on everything. Ready to have the best Thanksgiving ever?
Dry-Brined Turkey Breast with Gravy
Ingredients
bone-in skin-on half turkey breast (2 to 3 lb), thawed if frozen
tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
cloves garlic, finely chopped
teaspoons kosher salt
teaspoon black pepper
tablespoons butter
cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour
cups Progresso chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
Steps
Place rack in large rimmed sheet pan. Spray rack and pan with cooking spray. Place turkey breast, skin side up, on rack in pan.
In small bowl, mix thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Rub turkey breast all over with salt mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours. Remove plastic wrap; refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour longer but no longer than 12 hours.
Heat oven to 350F. In 12-inch skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Cook turkey breast skin side down 1 to 3 minutes or until browned; turn and cook 30 to 60 seconds longer or until browned. Remove from heat. Reserve skillet and drippings.
Place turkey skin side up on rack in pan. Roast uncovered 55 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast reads at least 165F. Place turkey on warm platter; cover with foil. Let stand 15 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to drippings in skillet; melt over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrot and celery; cook 6 to 8 minutes or until softened. Stir in flour; cook 1 to 2 minutes longer or until thickened. Stir in broth; heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Boil and stir 2 to 4 minutes or until thickened. Strain; season with salt and pepper to taste; serve with turkey.
Soy- and Butter-Basted Turkey
Ingredients
Turkey
tablespoons packed brown sugar
tablespoon kosher salt
tablespoon ground pepper
whole turkey, not prebasted (11 to 13 lb), thawed if frozen
tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
Gravy
1/4 cup turkey drippings (fat and juices from roasted turkey)
1/4 cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon pepper
cups Progresso unsalted chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
Steps
In small bowl, mix brown sugar, salt and pepper. Place turkey on rack in large roasting pan. If ovenproof plastic leg band is present, remove. Discard giblets and neck or reserve for another use. Using paper towels, pat dry skin and interior cavity. Rub turkey inside and out with sugar mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 24 hours. Stand up turkey to pour out any collected liquid in cavity. Pour off liquid collected in pan; return to refrigerator uncovered 12 to 24 hours longer.
Heat oven to 325F. Pat skin and interior cavity dry with paper towels. Fasten neck skin to back of turkey with skewer. Fold wings across back of turkey so tips are touching.
Place turkey, back side down, on rack in roasting pan. In small bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of the melted butter and 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce. Brush entire breast side of turkey with half of the butter mixture. Turn turkey over. Brush entire back side of turkey with remaining butter mixture. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh and does not touch bone.
Roast uncovered, breast side down, 1 1/2 hours. In small bowl, mix remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Brush back side of turkey with half of the butter mixture. Using tongs and oven mitt, carefully turn turkey over. Brush turkey breast with remaining butter mixture. Roast 1 to 2 hours longer. Turkey is done when thermometer reads 165F and drumsticks move easily when lifted or twisted. When turkey is done, place on warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Let stand about 15 minutes for easiest carving.
While turkey rests, pour drippings from roasting pan into bowl, leaving brown particles in pan. Return 1/4 cup drippings to roasting pan; discard remaining drippings. Stir in flour and pepper. Cook over medium heat 1 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Cook 1 minute longer, then stir in broth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Season gravy as desired. Serve carved turkey with the gravy.
Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast
Ingredients
bone-in whole turkey breast (4 1/2 to 5 pounds), thawed if frozen
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup dry white wine or apple juice
tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
teaspoon salt
teaspoon paprika
cloves garlic, finely chopped
teaspoons cornstarch
tablespoons cold water
Steps
Heat oven to 325F. Place turkey, skin side up, on rack in large shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of breast and does not touch bone. Roast uncovered 1 hour.
Mix butter, wine, thyme, salt, paprika and garlic. Brush turkey with half of the butter mixture. Roast 30 minutes; brush with remaining butter mixture. Roast about 1 hour longer or until thermometer reads 165F.
Remove turkey from oven and let stand 15 minutes for easier carving.
Meanwhile, pour pan drippings into measuring cup; skim fat from drippings. Add enough water to drippings to measure 2 cups. Heat drippings to boiling in 1-quart saucepan. Mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water; stir into drippings. Boil and stir 1 minute. Serve with turkey.
