Turkey Time Again!

Yes, it’s turkey time again, boys and girls! And if you’re like my family, you’ll be eating turkey for up to a week afterwards…open-faced turkey sandwiches with gravy, turkey salad sandwiches, soup with vegetables and turkey…the list is endless. So, the best way to start out your week-long turkey venture, it to make sure you have a tasty turkey to begin with.

· 1 x 12 lb. young turkey
· 8 oz diced pancetta
· 8 large shallots, sliced lengthwise
· 2 tbsp butter
· sprigs of thyme, whole and chopped
· sprigs of sage, whole and chopped
· sprigs of rosemary, whole and chopped
· Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper
· Butter, for rubbing the outside of turkey

Gravy
· 1 cup dry white wine
· 1 shallot finely chopped
· 3-4 tbsp flour
· 3-4 tbsp butter
· Juices of turkey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Add pancetta to medium sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté until fat begins to render, about 4 minutes. Remove pancetta and reserve. To the same pan over medium heat, add butter, shallots and chopped herbs. Sauté shallots until slightly browned. Season with freshly ground pepper. Combine shallots with pancetta. Let cool to room temperature.

Remove giblets and turkey neck from turkey cavity. For additional flavour to pan drippings roast turkey neck in roasting pan with turkey. Remove any pockets of fat from bird cavity. Thoroughly rinse with cold water. Pat turkey dry with paper towel.

Carefully run your hands or a spoon gently between skin and meat of the turkey breast and legs to separate skin from meat. Gently slide about ½ of the shallot mixture and some fresh chopped herbs between skin and meat of the breast and legs. Rub bird with butter and season with salt and pepper. Fill bird cavity with remaining shallot mixture and whole sprigs of herbs. Truss legs together with butcher’s twine to maintain shape while roasting.

Roast the turkey, breast side up, in a large roasting pan on the lower portion of oven at 350˚F. for first 30 minutes then reduce heat to 325˚F. Continue to roast, basting often, until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 180˚F. approximately 2 to 2 ½ hours. Remove remaining shallot mixture from cavity of turkey and place in roasting pan.

Transfer turkey to serving platter. Cover loosely with foil and keep warm and let rest 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Garnish platter with fresh sprigs of herbs if desired. Make gravy while turkey is resting.

Place roasting pan with pan drippings and shallot mixture over medium heat on stovetop. Add white wine. Scrape pan dripping on the bottom of the pan to incorporate into wine. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir roux (part butter, part flour) and pour into roasting pan. Whisk briskly over medium heat until bubbling and slightly thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and serve gravy with turkey.