Roasted Turkey in Parts with Make Ahead Gravy
Why should you portion your turkey before roasting? Here are some compelling reasons.
First and foremost, you can control the roasting time for different cuts of meat ensuring no more dry turkey! Secondly, all the meat is well seasoned. You can season both the “inside” and “outside” of the turkey cuts well, so you get a favorable bight each time.
Thirdly, and maybe most importantly, it is faster and uses less oven space than roasting a whole turkey. The entire turkey cooks in less than 2 hours and is flat in a roasting pan, taking up less space than a whole bird.
Also, the skin is crispy, and the meat is moist and tender. What more could you want in a holiday turkey?
The parts of turkey you don’t want to be served are added to store-bought chicken broth, adding a richer, more “homemade” flavor to your gravy. And speaking of gravy, you can make it a day or two ahead of time, saving time on the big day. All you need to do is add any pan juices from roasting the turkey to the gravy and reheating. Easy Peasy!
Roasted Turkey in Parts with Make Ahead Gravy
Servings: 10
Calories: 454kcal
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey (13 – 15 pounds)
- Kosher or fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoons sumac
- Black pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot , finely diced
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 4 tablespoons gluten-free flour
- 5 - 6 cups gluten-free chicken broth
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter or dairy-free butter, at room temperature
- 3 yellow onions , slice ½ inch thick
- 2 whole cloves garlic , cut in half
- 1 orange , cut into ½-inch slices
- 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- To cut the turkey - place the turkey breast side up on a cutting board. Pull a leg away from the body and slice through the skin between the breast and drumstick. Bend the leg back until the thighbone pops out of the socket. Cut through the skin and joints to detach the leg completely. Repeat on the other side. Pull a wing from the body and cut through the joints to remove it. Repeat with the other wing. Cut downward through the rib cage to remove the breast from the back. Keep the breast in one piece.
- Honestly, it is easier to ask your butcher to do this – tell him or her you want the breast in one piece, the legs and thighs together, the wings, and save the rest of the turkey for your stock.
- Combine 2 tablespoons salt, with the dried rosemary, dried thyme, sumac, and 1 tablespoon pepper in a small bowl. Dry turkey parts well, place on a rimmed baking sheet, rub all over with the spice mixture, and refrigerate for 24 – 48 hours, uncovered.
- Make the gravy – brown the back and any other pieces after cutting up the turkey in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown well, do not wash the pan. Place 4 cups chicken broth in a large saucepan. Once the chicken parts are browned, add to the broth and simmer for 1 hour. Put the gizzards and neck of the turkey in a medium saucepan, cover with 2 inches of water, add a good pinch of salt, bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 1 hour.
- In the skillet the turkey parts were browned in, add 4 tablespoons butter and melt over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add the flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the poultry seasoning, and cook for another minute, stirring.
- Remove the turkey parts from the chicken broth and discard. Strain the broth and add to the flour mixture. Whisk well to remove any lumps. Remove the gizzards from the cooking liquid, discarding the neck, and chop well. Stir into the gravy. Add the cooking liquid to the gravy and whisk well. Cook until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Let cool and store until half an hour before serving to reheat.
- Remove turkey parts from the refrigerator 1½ hours before baking. After 1¼ hours, preheat oven to 325°F. Rub the softened butter over the skin.
- Line a roasting pan with onion slices, garlic, orange slices, garlic, and rosemary springs to create a rack. Lay the turkey pieces on top of the vegetables, add 1 cup of chicken broth and roast. Baste turkey every 15 minutes with pan juices. Start checking the internal temperature of the breast after 1 hour, you want it to reach a temperature of 165 °. Once it reaches that temperature, remove the breast and wings to another baking sheet and cover with foil. Continue to cook the legs and thighs until they reach an internal temperature of between 165 °F and 170°F. They may all come to temperature at the same time, or the legs may take about 10 minutes longer. My breast was perfect after 1 hour and 15 minutes and the legs at 1½ hours. If the breast and wings are done before the legs, remove to a baking sheet and cover with foil. Once the legs are done, add to the baking sheet, cover with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Put the gravy into a large skillet. Strain the juices from roasting the turkey, add to the gravy, and reheat over low heat until ready to serve. Taste and add additional seasoning if needed.
- After resting for 30 minutes, slice the breast meat of the turkey against the grain in half-inch slices, arrange the turkey on a platter, garnish as desired, and serve with the gravy.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Roasted Turkey in Parts with Make Ahead Gravy
Amount Per Serving
Calories 454
Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 7g35%
Trans Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 203mg68%
Sodium 1250mg52%
Potassium 725mg21%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 58g116%
Vitamin A 421IU8%
Vitamin C 12mg15%
Calcium 71mg7%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimer: All nutrition facts on Gluten Free & More are meant only as a guide and may differ depending on product brands used or ingredient substitutions. Some errors may occur, so you are encouraged to confirm the recipe’s ingredient and nutrition suitability for your own diet.
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