High-Heat Roast Turkey

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 6 ounces turkey and 1/4 cup gravy)

Ingredients

• 1  (12-pound) fresh turkey
• 2  cups  chopped onion (about 1 medium)
• 1/2  cup  chopped carrot (about 1 medium)
• 1/2  cup  chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh rosemary
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh sage
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh thyme
• 1  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 2  cups  water
• 3  cups  Make-Ahead Gravy

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Remove and discard giblets and neck from turkey. Trim excess fat. Combine onion, carrot, celery, rosemary, sage, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Stuff body cavity with onion mixture. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey. Sprinkle turkey with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; pour 2 cups water into pan.

Bake at 450° for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in meaty part of thigh registers 165°. Remove turkey from oven; let stand at least 30 minutes before carving. Discard onion mixture and skin.

Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner. Drain drippings into a bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat.

Place the roasting pan over two burners on medium heat. Add the drippings and Make-Ahead Gravy, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until gravy mixture is reduced to 3 cups, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes).

Nutritional Information

Calories:

377 (20% from fat)

Fat:

8.4g (sat 3.2g,mono 2g,poly 2g)

Protein:

67.6g

Carbohydrate:

3.4g

Fiber:

0.5g

Cholesterol:

228mg

Iron:

4.7mg

Sodium:

421mg

Calcium:

56mg