Skip to content

Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

Turkey and Gravy

Ingredients

1 Turkey

2 cups Chicken broth

Brine

1 /3 cup Salt per gallon of water.

Instructions

Dissolve the salt in a small amount of hot water; add ice and cold water to equal a gallon.

In an ice chest, place the thawed turkey and enough brine to completely submerge.  For best results let turkey sit in brine for 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Roughly chop one onion, one carrot and one stalk of celery and place vegetables in cavity of the turkey. Truss turkey. Sprinkle skin of the turkey with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (about one tablespoon of each for a 14-pound turkey). Place turkey in a roasting pan on a roasting rack. Place two cans of chicken broth in the bottom of the roasting pan and place all in the oven. Roast turkey for 12 minutes per pound. Do not baste or open the oven door during cooking process.

When done (turkey has reached 180 degrees on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh), remove the roasting rack and place turkey on a cookie sheet.

Remove the drippings from the pan, using a fat separator, remove fat from the juices. Place the turkey fat into a medium-sized skillet (you should have one quarter cup fat, if you do not; add a bit of oil to make up the difference). Heat the broth in a microwave. Add 1 /4 cup flour to the fat and cook over a medium heat for four to five minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the hot broth and simmer until thickened. Add canned chicken broth if gravy is too thick. Add one tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet.

Let turkey rest for two minutes per pound before carving.

Yield: one hungry family and a few unwanted relatives.

Recent Recipes

Salsa

Makes about 3 cups Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor with the blade attachment. Pulse several…

Read more

Pastel de Huevo

OK, so it’s a quiche. But “Mexican Quiche” just didn’t sound right. I’ve already thrown in an Italian version in this book. I don’t want to do even more to insult the Francophiles. So, we’ll just call it an egg pie. If you have a Mexican market nearby, purchase your chorizo there (unless you make your own). Substitute queso cotija or queso chihuahua for a little more depth in the flavor profile. Leftover salsa can be used for a topping on scrambled eggs or a dip with chips later in the day.

Read more

Baked Potato Quiche

I call this recipe “Comfort quiche.” It’s perfect for a cold December evening. The great thing about quiche is that it can be prepared in advance and held cold in the refrigerator or frozen up to a couple of weeks. When the holidays are hectic and the house is crowded, this quiche is perfect as a lap meal in front of the fireplace served alongside a light salad.

Read more