Best Make Ahead Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

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MAKE-AHEAD TURKEY AND GRAVY



Make-Ahead Turkey and Gravy image

Ease the holiday time crunch with a make-ahead turkey recipe that's ready to serve when you are. It's a great choice for potlucks, too. -Marie Parker, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 5h5m

Yield 16 servings (2-1/2 cups gravy).

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 turkey (14 to 16 pounds)
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
FOR SERVING:
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325°. Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side up. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning and pepper. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together., Roast, uncovered, 30 minutes. In a 4-cup measuring cup, mix broth, herbs, lemon peel and juice, and garlic; pour over turkey. Roast, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°, 3 to 3-1/2 hours, basting occasionally with broth mixture. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly., Remove turkey from pan; let stand at least 20 minutes before carving. Skim fat from cooking juices., To freeze: Carve turkey and place in shallow freezer containers. Pour cooking juices over turkey; cool slightly, about 1 hour. Cover and freeze up to 3 months., To serve: Partially thaw turkey in refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 350°. Transfer turkey and cooking juices to a large baking dish. Pour 1-1/2 cups broth over top. Bake, covered, until a thermometer inserted in turkey reads 165°, 50-60 minutes., To prepare gravy: Remove turkey to a platter, reserving broth mixture; keep warm. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in broth mixture; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve with turkey.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 480 calories, Fat 22g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 218mg cholesterol, Sodium 434mg sodium, Carbohydrate 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 64g protein.

ACCIDENTAL MAKE-AHEAD TURKEY



Accidental Make-Ahead Turkey image

Provided by Ina Garten

Time 2h45m

Yield 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

Kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 (12- to 14-pound) fresh turkey
1 large yellow onion, unpeeled and cut in eighths
1 lemon, quartered
8 sprigs fresh thyme
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Freshly ground black pepper
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy (see recipe)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 large red onion, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
10 large fresh sage leaves
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

Steps:

  • Two or three days before you plan to roast the turkey, combine 3 tablespoons salt, the rosemary, and lemon zest. Wash the turkey inside and out, drain it well, and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the salt mixture in the cavity of the turkey and rub the rest on the skin, including under the wings and legs. Place the turkey in a shallow dish to catch any drips and wrap the whole dish tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one or two days. The day before you plan to roast the turkey, remove the plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge. The skin will dry out and turn a little translucent.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Be sure your oven is very clean!
  • Place the onion, lemon, and thyme in the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tie the wings close to the body. Brush the turkey with the butter and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
  • Roast the turkey for 45 minutes, placing it in the oven legs first. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees F and roast it for about another hour, until 165 degrees F for the breast and 180 degrees in the thigh on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven, cover the turkey tightly with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Carve the turkey and arrange it on a platter. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and allow the turkey to sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
  • To reheat, pour a 1/4-inch layer of the gravy into a large (12 × 16-inch) ovenproof serving platter (make sure it's ovenproof!). Arrange the turkey artfully on top of the gravy. Place the platter uncovered into the oven for 15 to 30 minutes, until the turkey is very hot. Serve hot with extra gravy on the side.
  • Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring often, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onion becomes browned and starts to caramelize. Sprinkle on the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, Cognac, sage leaves, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour and strain, pressing the solids lightly and then discarding them. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • After the turkey is cooked, remove it to a carving board to rest while you finish the gravy. Place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat and add the wine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring and scraping up all the bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Slowly whisk the gravy base into the pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the gravy is smooth and slightly thickened. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.
  • "Make it Ahead" by Ina Garten © Clarkson Potter 2014. Provided courtesy of Ina Garten. All rights reserved.

MAKE AHEAD ROASTED TURKEY



Make Ahead Roasted Turkey image

If you're pressed for time (or oven space), Make Ahead Roasted Turkey is just what you need. With this technique, cooking turkey the day before, the week before, or even the month before, still tastes delicious and freshly carved.

Provided by Meggan Hill

Categories     Main Course

Time 5h15m

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 (15 pound) whole turkey (thawed with neck, heart, and gizzards removed and discarded (see note 1))
2 teaspoon poultry seasoning ((see note 2))
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups chicken broth ((see note 3))
1/2 cup fresh parsley (minced)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (minced, or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (minced, or 1 teaspoon dried and crushed)
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place turkey on a rack inside a roasting pan, breast side up. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning and pepper. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together.
  • Roast, uncovered, 30 minutes. In a 4-cup measuring cup, mix broth, herbs, lemon zest and juice, and garlic; pour over turkey. Roast, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees, about 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
  • While turkey is roasting, baste occasionally with broth mixture. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.
  • Remove turkey from pan; let stand at least 20 minutes before carving. Skim fat from cooking juices.
  • Carve the turkey and place in shallow freezer containers. Pour cooking juices over turkey then let cool slightly, about one hour. Cover and freeze up to 3 months.
  • Partially thaw the turkey in refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer turkey and cooking juices to a baking dish.
  • Pour 1 1/2 cups broth over top. Bake, covered, until a thermometer inserted in the turkey reads 165 degrees, 50-60 minutes. Remove turkey to a platter, reserving cooking juices, and keep warm.
  • In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in the cooking juices; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve gravy alongside turkey.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 413 kcal, Carbohydrate 2 g, Protein 61 g, Fat 17 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Cholesterol 203 mg, Sodium 567 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, ServingSize 1 serving

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