Healthy Turkey Dinner

Last week we talked all about how to manage your food intake during the holiday season. This week we would like to take the time to provide you with a turkey dinner that everyone can enjoy! Our friends over at eatingwell.com provided us with a great turkey recipe. We wanted to focus on this today because it goes right along with our trademark, “Put people first, and people get healthy!” Check out this awesome recipe!

Apple-Shallot Roasted Turkey with Cider Gravy

In this herb-roasted turkey recipe, apples and shallots cook inside the bird to keep the meat moist and add rich flavor. The extra shallots in the roasting pan also give the gravy recipe a rich, caramelized-onion depth and, with apple cider, the gravy is out-of-this-world delicious. The easy turkey stock adds extra flavor to the gravy, but you can use chicken broth instead with good results.

What The Recipe Makes:

Makes: 12 servings, 3 ounces each, plus plenty of leftovers Serving Size: 3 oz. turkey & 3 Tbsp. gravy Active Time: 75 minutes Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes Equipment: Kitchen string Ingredients

TURKEY

1 10 to 12 pound turkey 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus 3 sprigs 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus 3 sprigs 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, plus 3 sprigs 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 1/2 pounds shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise, divided 1 tart green apple, quartered 3 cups water, plus more as needed

STOCK

6 cups water 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered 1 medium carrot, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 1 bay leaf 1 sprig fresh thyme

GRAVY

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups apple cider 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper to taste

PREPARATION

1. To prepare turkey: Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 475°F.
2. Remove giblets and neck from turkey cavities and reserve to make stock. Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan; pat dry with paper towels.
3. Combine oil, chopped herbs, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture all over the turkey, under the skin and onto the breast meat. Place herb sprigs, 6 shallot halves and apple in the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Add 3 cups water to the pan.
4. Roast the turkey until the skin is golden brown, 45 minutes. Remove from the oven. If using a remote digital thermometer, insert it into the deepest part of the thigh, close to the joint. Cover just the breast with a double layer of foil, cutting as necessary to fit. Scatter the remaining shallots in the pan around the turkey.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Return the turkey to the oven and continue roasting until the thermometer (or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone) registers 165°F, 1 to 1 3/4 hours more. If the pan dries out, add 1 cup water and tilt the turkey to let juices run out of the cavity into the pan.
6. Meanwhile, prepare stock: Combine neck and giblets (except liver), 6 cups water, onion, carrot and celery in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Add peppercorns, bay leaf and thyme. Reduce heat and simmer, skimming and discarding any foam, for 1 hour.
7. Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl and let cool. Discard solids.
8. When the turkey is done, transfer to a serving platter (reserve pan juices and shallots), tent with foil and let rest for 20 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, prepare gravy: Whisk 1/2 cup of the cooled stock with flour in a small bowl until smooth.
10. Set the roasting pan over two burners on medium-high heat. Add cider and vinegar; bring to a boil and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the pan, until the liquid is reduced by about half, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups of the stock. Increase heat to high; return to a boil, whisking often. Boil until the liquid is reduced by about half, 8 to 12 minutes.
11. Whisk the flour mixture into the pan. Boil, whisking constantly, until the gravy is thickened, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the gravy through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup. (Discard the solids.) Season with salt and pepper.
12. Remove the string from the turkey and carve. Serve with the gravy.

Let Us Know What You Think

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