Thyme-Roasted Turkey With Gingersnap Gravy

Recipe Ingredients

		Thyme Butter
1/2 cup	99g / 3.5oz	Butter - (1 stick) - room temperature
1/4 cup	36g / 1.3oz	Chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Salt
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Cayenne pepper
		Turkey
1		Turkey - (15 to 16 lbs) - neck, gizzard,
		And heart reserved
		Salt - to taste
		Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste
6		Fresh thyme sprigs - (optional)
2 1/2 cups	156g / 5.5oz	Very coarsely-chopped onions - (to 3)
5 cups	1185ml	Canned low-salt chicken broth - more or less
		Gravy
3 tablespoons	45ml	Butter
5 tablespoons	75ml	Shallots - chopped (large)
2 tablespoons	30ml	Chopped fresh thyme
3/4 teaspoon	3.8ml	Ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon	0.6ml	Cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups	1066ml	Canned low-salt chicken broth
9		Gingersnap cookies - (2 oz) - crumbled (3/4 cup)
		Salt - to taste
		Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste

Recipe Instructions

For thyme butter: Mix first 5 ingredients in small bowl to blend. (Thyme butter can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)

For turkey: Set rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Discard any pieces of fat from cavities. Sprinkle main cavity of turkey with salt and pepper. Starting at neck end, carefully slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin. Spread 3 tablespoons thyme butter over breast meat under skin.

If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing into neck and main cavities. If not stuffing, place 6 thyme sprigs and 1/2 cup onions in main cavity. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together to hold shape. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Rub 4 tablespoons thyme butter over outside of turkey. Cover turkey breast loosely with foil. Scatter 2 1/2 cups onions and reserved turkey parts in pan around turkey. Pour 2 cups broth into pan.

Roast turkey 1 1/2 hours, lifting foil to baste with pan juices every 30 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups broth to roasting pan. Roast turkey 30 minutes; baste with pan juices. Add 1 cup broth to pan. Remove foil. Continue to roast turkey until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175 degrees, basting turkey with pan juices every 30 minutes and adding 1/2 cup broth to pan if juices evaporate, about 1 hour longer for unstuffed turkey and 1 hour 30 minutes longer for stuffed.

Transfer turkey to platter. Brush turkey with remaining thyme butter. Tent turkey loosely with foil; let stand 30 minutes (internal temperature of turkey will increase 5 to 10 degrees). Discard neck, gizzard, and heart from roasting pan. Strain turkey pan juices into large measuring cup. Spoon fat from top of pan juices; discard fat.

Meanwhile, prepare gravy: Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon chopped thyme, ginger, and cayenne; stir 1 minute. Add broth; increase heat to high and boil until liquid is reduced to 3 cups, about 12 minutes.

Add turkey pan juices, gingersnap cookies, and any accumulated juices from turkey platter to gravy base in saucepan. Boil until gravy is thick enough to coat spoon, whisking to dissolve gingersnaps, about 2 minutes. Mix in remaining 1 tablespoon chopped thyme. Season gravy to taste with salt and pepper. Serve turkey with gravy.

This recipe yields 10 servings.

Source:
Bon Appetit, November 2001

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