Maple Whiskey Gravy Food

MAPLE-WHISKEY TURKEY AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Make the brine: Combine 2 quarts water, the whiskey, maple syrup, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, orange and apple peels and rosemary sprigs in a large pot. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve the salt, then turn off the heat and cover. Allow to cool completely, then place in the fridge to chill.
• Brine the turkey: Remove the turkey from its packaging and remove the bags inside that hold the neck and giblets. Rinse the neck and giblets and put them in a plastic bag in the fridge; you'll need them for the gravy. Rinse the turkey thoroughly with cold water. Place the turkey in a large brining bag or pot. Pour in the maple-whiskey brine and refrigerate 16 to 18 hours so the brine can work its magic.
• Roast the turkey: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. After the turkey has brined, remove it from the brining bag and rinse it thoroughly again, inside and out. Pat dry.
• Truss the turkey or tuck the legs and wings, whichever you like. Place breast-side up on a rack in a large shallow roasting pan. Cover the pan with heavy-duty foil so that it's well sealed. Roast 7 to 8 minutes per pound (about 1 hour 50 minutes for a 15-pound turkey and about 2 1/2 hours for a 20-pound turkey).
• Remove the turkey from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Remove the foil. (Put stuffing in the bird if you wish at this point.) Brush the butter all over the skin of the turkey, getting in the crevices. Insert a probe thermometer into the thigh, near the hip joint. Place the turkey, uncovered, back in the oven. Continue roasting, basting or brushing with the juices in the pan every 30 minutes, until the thermometer registers 165 degrees F and the juices are no longer pink. This will take about another 10 minutes per pound (about 2 1/2 hours for a 15-pound turkey and 3 to 3 1/2 hours for a 20-pound turkey). Remove the turkey from the oven and cover lightly with foil until you are ready to carve. Pour the pan drippings into a fat separator and set aside for gravy.
• Maple-Whiskey Gravy
• Place the giblets and neck in a small saucepan of water over medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the giblets are cooked. Remove the giblets, set aside and keep the water in the saucepan.
• In the turkey roasting pan (which should not have been cleaned!), add the turkey fat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk into the fat to form a paste. If the paste is too thick or clumpy, add a little more fat. If it's too greasy, sprinkle in more flour. Whisk and cook the roux over medium-low heat until it is deep golden brown.
• Pour in the chicken broth, whiskey and maple syrup, whisking the whole time. Allow the gravy to cook and thicken for several minutes, whisking occasionally. If it gets too thick or if it's too salty, thin it with a little giblet water. If the gravy is too thin, keep cooking it until it thickens up.
• Taste, then add salt and plenty of pepper. Chop the giblets and add them in, if you like. Remove as much of the neck meat as you can and add it to the gravy. Serve immediately!

MAPLE-WHISKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Put the giblets and neck in a small saucepan of water over medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low and simmer until the giblets are cooked, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the giblets and neck, set aside and keep the water in the saucepan.
• In the turkey roasting pan (which should not have been cleaned!), add back 1/4 cup turkey fat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk it into the fat to form a paste. If the paste is too thick or clumpy, add a little more fat. If it's too greasy, sprinkle in more flour. Whisk and cook the roux over medium-low heat until deep golden brown.
• Turn off the heat and add the whiskey, then turn the heat back on and whisk it in. Pour in the chicken broth, whisking the whole time, then add the maple syrup. Allow it to cook and thicken for several minutes, whisking occasionally. If the gravy gets too thick or if it's too salty, thin it with a little of the giblet water. If the gravy is too thin, just keep cooking until it thickens up. Taste, then add salt and plenty of black pepper. Chop the giblets and add them to the gravy. Remove as much of the neck meat as you can and add it to the gravy too. Serve immediately!

MAPLE-GLAZED TURKEY WITH DIJON GRAVY

Steps:

• For maple butter:
• Boil maple syrup and 2 tablespoons marjoram in heavy medium saucepan until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in 1 tablespoon marjoram, coriander, lemon peel, and pepper. Add butter and whisk until well blended. Freeze until butter is firm but still spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• For turkey:
• Set rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey on small rack set in large roasting pan. Starting at neck end, carefully slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin. Rub 1/2 cup maple butter over breast meat under skin. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing into neck and main cavities. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Rub 1/4 cup maple butter over outside of turkey. Reserve remaining maple butter for gravy. Arrange onions, celery, parsnips, and reserved turkey parts around turkey in pan. Sprinkle vegetables with remaining 1 tablespoon marjoram.
• Roast turkey 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Cover entire turkey (not pan) with foil and roast 1 1/2 hours. Add 2 cups broth to pan; roast turkey 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil. Add 1 cup broth to pan and roast turkey until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 30 minutes longer if unstuffed or 1 hour longer if stuffed. Transfer turkey to platter; tent with foil and let stand 30 minutes (internal temperature of turkey will increase 5 to 10 degrees). Reserve mixture in pan for gravy.
• For gravy:
• Strain pan juices into large measuring cup, pressing on solids; discard solids in strainer. Spoon fat from top of pan juices; discard fat. Add enough chicken broth to pan juices in cup to measure 4 1/2 cups. Melt 1/4 cup maple butter and 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; whisk constantly until mixture is deep brown, about 8 minutes (mixture will resemble lumpy oatmeal-like paste). Gradually whisk in broth mixture; bring to boil. Add bay leaf and boil until thickened to sauce consistency, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes. Whisk in Madeira, 1 tablespoon mustard, and marjoram. Simmer 2 minutes. Taste, adding more mustard if desired. Season gravy with salt and pepper. Brush turkey with maple butter. Serve turkey with gravy.