Bethenny’s Signature Roast Turkey
Ingredients:
- 1 turkey, approximately 16 to 18 pounds, or 1 turkey breast if you prefer to serve white meat only (note shorter cooking time)
– 1 cup white wine
– 1 onion, cut into fourths, for giblet broth
– 1 carrot, cut into large pieces, for giblet broth
– 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
– 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
– 1 bay leaf
– 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
– 1 teaspoon pepper plus more to taste
– 2 onions and 2 celery stalks cut in half for turkey cavities
– 1 tablespoon butter, softened to room temperature
– 1 or 2 cups chicken broth for basting
– ½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
– 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
(Serves 12)
Directions:
1. Remove the oven racks except for the bottom one so that you can put the turkey on the bottom rack. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Remove any giblet packages and the neck bone from the turkey cavities.
3. Rinse the turkey in cold water, including the cavities and all the skin. Pat it dry with paper towels. Put it in a large roasting pan and lightly sprinkle inside the cavities with salt and pepper. If you have a roasting pan with a rack, use the rack so that the juices and fat drip into the pan and the turkey isn’t sitting in them.
4. Turn the turkey over so that the breast is down. Put 1 onion and 1 celery stalk into the smaller cavity. Pull the skin over the cavity and secure it with metal or wooden skewers. Turn the turkey over and fold the wings underneath it. Put 1 onion and 1 celery stalk into the larger cavity.
5. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine, or use the metal clamp that came with the turkey to keep the legs together. Rub the butter all over the skin with your hands. If you have a meat thermometer that isn’t the instant-read kind, put it into the thickest part of the thigh, but be sure it isn’t touching a bone.
6. Roast the turkey for 3 to 4 hours, depending on its size (a turkey breast may take just 1 or 2 hours). Baste with chicken broth until the turkey releases fat into the roasting pan. Then baste with the fat, every 15 to 30 minutes.
7. Start checking the meat thermometer after 2 hours. The turkey is done when the thermometer says 180℉ and the juice runs clear when you poke the thigh. (Don’t poke the breast, to keep all the juices in the white meat.) If the turkey is turning brown too quickly, cover it with foil while it is roasting. Keep an eye on it.
8. When the turkey is done, remove it carefully to a platter and cover it with a tent of foil. Let it sit for about 30 minutes before carving. This is when you can put all your other dishes into the oven for last-minute reheating.
9. If you want to make gravy, put the roasting pan on the stove over two burners and turn them on medium. Skim off any obvious fat with a spoon. Add broth (or water) to the roasting pan. Whisk the broth and pan drippings together with a wire whisk. Slowly add the flour and continue to whisk until the gravy reduces and thickens slightly. Season with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Serve in a gravy boat or in a bowl with a small ladle.
Out-of-this-World Healthy Stuffing
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion, chopped
– 3 celery stalks, chopped
– 1 tablespoon oil
– ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
– 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
– 4 pieces sage, chopped
– 6-8 pieces of thyme, chopped
– ½ pound turkey sausage (choose flavor)
– Splash of good white wine
– 1 teaspoon butter
– 1 pound assorted fresh mushrooms, sliced
– ½ cup dried morels
– ½ loaf regular size 9-grain or multi-grain bread, toasted and chopped
– 1 egg, beaten
Directions:
1. Sauté chopped onion and stalks of celery in oil in a nonstick pan. Add salt, pepper, and minced garlic.
2. Add sage and thyme.
3. Break turkey sausage into small pieces and sauté in pan. Add a good splash of wine and butter.
4. Add mushrooms and morels (soak and cover them in water until soft), then add them and the mushroom water to the mixture.
5. Add 9-grain or multi-grain bread. If the mixture is dry, add more mushroom water, chicken stock, white wine or another flavored liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add 1 beaten egg to bind.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes and put on broil for last 5 minutes to make top crunchy (make sure to keep an eye on it when broiling).
Rustic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 4 medium russet potatoes, well washed
– One 12-ounce can white beans, drained
– ½ cup warm plain soymilk
– ⅓ cup ricotta cheese
– ¼ cup butter
– 1 tablespoon salt
– Dash of pepper
(Serves 4)
Directions:
1. Cube the potatoes, but leave the skins on. Put them in a pot and cover with water. Cover the pot and bring the potatoes to a boil. Cook for 25 minutes or until very tender.
2. Meanwhile puree the white beans in a food processor until smooth. Drain the potatoes. Put them back in the pot, add the bean puree, and add the remaining ingredients. Mash everything together. Heat through and serve hot.
For more of Bethenny's Thanksgiving side dishes and cocktail recipes please visit her Thanksgiving meal tips and recipe page HERE or visit her official website HERE!
Which recipe are you going to try out? Sound off in the comment section below!
Source/Photo Credit: Bravo/Bethenny Frankel's Official Website