Lunch: Classic Turkey with Giblet-Mushroom Gravy

A classic roast turkey with richly flavored gravy will be the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving table.

Ingredients

1 fresh or frozen (thawed) turkey
6 fresh thyme sprigs
4 medium onions
2 large carrots
2 large stalks celery
1/4 c. fresh sage leaves
2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper
1 c. water
Easy Turkey Stock
3 tbsp. margarine or butter
2 package sliced mushrooms
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. dry sherry
pears
Orange halves
thyme sprigs
sage leaves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Rinse turkey inside and out with cold running water and drain well; pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in large roasting pan (17" by 13 1/2"). Fold wing tips under back of turkey so they stay in place. Scatter thyme sprigs and half of onions, and all of carrots and celery, in pan around turkey.
In small bowl, combine sage, chopped thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Rub half of herb mixture inside body and neck cavities, and rub remaining herb mixture all over outside of turkey. Place 6 onion quarters in body cavity and 2 onion quarters in neck cavity. Fold neck skin under back of turkey and secure drumsticks together with band of skin, stuffing clamp, or kitchen string. Pour 1 cup water over vegetables in pan.
Cover turkey with a loose tent of foil; roast 2 1/2 hours. Remove foil, add 1 cup water if pan is dry, and roast about 1 1/2 hours longer. Baste with pan drippings every 30 minutes, adding another cup of water if pan is dry. Turkey is done when temperature on meat thermometer, inserted into thickest part of thigh next to body (not touching bone), reaches 175 to 180 degrees F and breast temperature reaches 165 °F. (Internal temperature of turkey will rise 5 to 10 degrees F upon standing.)
When turkey is done, carefully lift from roasting pan and tilt slightly to allow juices to run into pan. Place turkey on large platter; cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
Complete Giblet-Mushroom Gravy: Remove rack from roasting pan. Strain pan drippings through fine mesh sieve into 8-cup liquid measuring cup or large bowl; discard vegetables. Let drippings stand 1 minute to allow fat to separate from meat juices. Spoon 3 tablespoons turkey fat into roasting pan; discard remaining fat. Add enough Easy Turkey Stock to drippings in measuring cup to equal 5 cups total.
Place roasting pan over 2 burners on top of range and add margarine. Melt margarine on medium. Add mushrooms and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until softened, using wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from pan. Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add sherry and simmer 1 to 2 minutes or until almost all liquid has evaporated, stirring constantly. Add reserved pan drippings and stock, and heat to boiling on medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 9 minutes or until mixture has thickened, stirring constantly.
Meanwhile, cut reserved turkey neck into quarters and pull meat from bones; discard bones. Finely chop meat and gizzard and add to thickened mushroom mixture. Cook 1 minute longer or until heated through. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Makes about 6 cups gravy.
Pour gravy into gravy boat and serve with turkey. Garnish turkey platter with pears, oranges, and herbs. Nutritional information is based on 1 serving of turkey without skin or gravy. Each 1/3-cup serving of gravy contains: about 85 calories, 5 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 6 g total fat (1 g saturated), 1 g fiber, 33 mg cholesterol, 175 mg sodium.

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