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1
Take the turkey out of the refrigerator and leave it to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes prior to preparing and cooking.
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2
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
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3
In a mixing bowl, add the 1/2 cup softened butter, lemon zest and chopped chives.
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4
Halve the lemons and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon half into the butter.
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5
Stir to combine.
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Season with salt and pepper.
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7
Prepare the turkey: Remove the inner packet of giblets from the cavity and set aside.
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8
Run your fingers underneath the skin of the breast to make a little pocket between the skin and the flesh.
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9
Using your fingers, scoop up some of the lemon-chive butter and push the butter under the skin, filling up the pockets.
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Do the same thing on the legs.
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Once each pocket has been filled, take the rest of the butter and rub it all over the outside of the bird.
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12
Sprinkle about a tablespoon and a half of coarse salt on top.
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13
Insert the halved lemons, orange and grapefruit into the cavity of the turkey.
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14
Insert as much of the citrus as you can.
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Give each piece a little squeeze as you insert them to get the juices distributed.
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(You may have to leave some out depending on the size of the cavity.
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Use any extra citrus for garnish later.)
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18
Remove the giblets from the packet, rinse and pat dry.
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Place the giblets on the bottom of a large roasting pan.
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Place the turkey on top of the giblets.
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Tuck the wings under the turkey.
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Place the turkey in a preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes.
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Then, turn down the heat to 350 degrees F and roast for about another 2 hours, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 175 to 180 degrees F. (The general rule is to cook a turkey about 15 minutes per pound.)
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24
Remove the bird from the pan onto a carving board or platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
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Allow it to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
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26
Place the roasting pan over low heat on the stovetop.
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Add white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
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28
Pour in the chicken stock.
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29
Whisk the cornstarch into it.
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30
Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the Dijon mustard.
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Whisk well to combine.
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Strain the gravy into a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until thick and smooth, about 8 minutes.
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Bring your turkey to room temperature to ensure that the bird will cook evenly.
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34
Stuffing a turkey with fruit keep the bird moist and acts as a secondary cooking agent.
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As the juice of the fruit steams inside the cavity, it helps cook the bird from the inside.
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The juices also help to flavor the pan juices used for making the gravy.
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Stuffing butter between the skin and the flesh, keep the meat moist and flavorful.
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38
The butter and salt on the outside help create a tasty, crispy skin.
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39
I like to use the giblets as a platform for the bird.
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40
It stops the bottom of the bird from burning and adds flavor to the pan juices.
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A good rule for roasting times is to plan on roasting a turkey for about 15 minutes per pound.
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42
A meat thermometer is the best tool for figuring out if your turkey is fully cooked.
