Peking-style roast turkey with molasses-soy glaze and orange-ginger gravy
Yield: 8 servings For the turkey
• 1 (12- to 14-pound) turkey, neck, gizzard and liver
reserved, left at room temperature for 1 hour
• Salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted
• ƒ cup orange juice, from 2 oranges, divided
(keep the peels for the gravy)
• » cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons 5-spice powder
• 1 bunch scallions, cut into large pieces
• 1 celery rib, cut into large pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the gravy
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Reserved turkey neck, gizzard and liver
(not the heart)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 shallot, chopped • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, sliced
• 2 cloves
• 1 whole star anise
• 1 allspice berry
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth • 4 tablespoon (1/2 stick) butter
•» cup all-purpose flour
• ƒ cup dry white wine
• » cup orange juice (reserved from above)
Directions:
1. Steam the turkey: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper and tie the legs together. In the bottom of a large pot (16 quart or larger) fitted with a small rack or crumpled foil, bring 8 cups water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and lower the turkey into the pot. Cover and steam for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in ½ cup of the orange juice (reserve ¼ cup for later), soy sauce, molasses, vinegar and 5-spice powder. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the glaze is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Roast the turkey: In a large roasting pan, toss the scallions, celery and reserved orange peels with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Fit a roasting rack over the vegetables and place the turkey on top. Brush all over with the glaze, lower oven to 350 degrees and roast the turkey, basting every 20 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 165 degrees, about 2 hours. If the turkey is browning too quickly, tent with a piece of foil. Let the turkey rest about 20 minutes before carving.
4. Make the gravy: While the turkey is cooking, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the turkey neck, gizzard and liver and cook until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium and add the shallot, garlic, ginger, cloves, star anise and allspice; cook until the vegetables are softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add the broth and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the stock is flavorful and slightly reduced, about 1 hour. Strain the broth into a large, clean saucepan and set aside on the stovetop to keep warm.
6. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the butter mixture is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the gravy is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Once the turkey has been removed from the roasting pan, strain the drippings into the pot with the gravy, discarding the solids.
Place the roasting pan over 2 burners over medium-high heat. Pour in the wine and orange juice and bring to a boil. Scrape up brown bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until reduced, about 1 minute. Pour pan juices into the gravy. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the turkey.
Per serving: 1,117 calories; 53 g fat; 21 g saturated fat; 493 mg cholesterol; 140 g protein; 13 g carbohydrate; 7 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 1,882 mg sodium; 116 mg calcium
—Recipe from Epicurious