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Landon Nordeman
 
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Crisp Apple-Scented Roast Turkey with Cider-Calvados Gravy
 
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6. As the bird cooks, baste it with the pan juices every 20 minutes using a spoon. After the first hour, remove the roasting pan from oven and, using two pot holders, carefully turn the turkey breast side up. Baste it with the pan juices and continue roasting. (Cover the turkey loosely with foil if it threatens to burn.) When an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh (without touching bone) reaches 165°–170° (after about 2 hours), move the turkey to a platter and let it rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, set the roasting pan over 2 burners to make the gravy. Skim off excess fat from pan juices and remove two-thirds of the vegetables from the pan. Cut the rest of the vegetables into small pieces. Add 1⁄3 cup calvados (apple brandy), 1⁄2 cup white wine, and 1⁄3 cup apple cider. Bring to a boil over high heat and, using a wooden spatula to scrape up all the caramelized bits, cook the liquid down to a syrup, 6–8 minutes.

8. Remove broth from refrigerator; skim off fat. Reheat all but 1 cup. Add two-thirds of the heated broth to the pan. Boil, stirring constantly, until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Stir the remainder of the heated broth into the pan and bring to a boil. To thicken the gravy, add 1⁄4 cup flour to a tall glass. Stir the 1 cup of reserved, chilled broth into the flour until there are no lumps. You've made a slurry. Whisk it into the bubbling gravy. Keep simmering and whisking until gravy is smooth and thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Now taste it. If you taste raw flour, simmer the gravy for another minute.

9. Stir 8 torn basil leaves into the gravy and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if necessary. Pour the gravy into a bowl or another serving vessel. Carve the turkey and arrange on a large platter. Serve with the gravy passed separately.

 
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This recipe was first published in Saveur in Issue #106
 
Recipe Reviews
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Member vicci's Review:  

absolutely the best turkey i've ever eaten. well
worth the effort. we were not that impressed
with the gravy, though, but we will definitely
use this brine again--we were talking about
getting another turkey 2 days after thanksgiving
because we had no leftovers!

Member msherman's Review:  

this recipe last year resulted in the most
amazing turkey i'd ever had--and all our guests
agreed. the 450-degree oven was not a problem
(though i might have covered the bird w/ aluminum
foil at one point to fend off burning). it was
quite a lot of work--a rather involved process,
but really worth it.

Member smijtp's Review:  
Question about Roasting Time
i tried this turkey last year and loved it, but
did not roast it at the 450 because i was scared
:-) has anyone else whose made it roasted it
at 450 for the whole roasting period? if so,
did you run into any problems?

Member sanguinic's Review:  
Perfect
i've never made a better thanksgiving turkey.
Member riverajm's Review:  
Post-Holiday Dinner

i did this recipe on my post-holiday (jan 08)
dinner and it was delicious.  be careful on
not burning the skin, this maybe a result of the
apple cider.

the gravy was absolutely
creamy and aromatic.  everyone was raving
about this for days after.

 i did
stuffed however, with ground beef, apples,
raisins, and currants.

 very well
recommended.  i will do it again.




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