Vetted Recipes

Best Recipe for Clementine-Salted Turkey with Redeye Gravy

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup coarse kosher salt
  • 12 small clementines or tangerines (about); peel finely grated (3 tablespoons); fruit wrapped, chilled
  • 1 20-to 22-pound turkey, rinsed, patted dry; neck, heart, and gizzard reserved for Turkey Stock
  • 2 large onions, quartered
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth, divided
  • Turkey Stock
  • 4 ounces country ham, Serrano ham, or thick-cut smoked bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 cups freshly brewed coffee

Instructions

  1. Rub salt and clementine peel together in small bowl. Sprinkle some seasoned salt in main and neck cavities of turkey. Place turkey in large roasting pan. Reserve 2 teaspoons clementine salt for roasting; sprinkle remaining salt all over turkey. Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate turkey overnight.
  2. Rinse turkey thoroughly inside and out; pat dry. Rinse large roasting pan and wipe dry. Place rack in pan; place turkey on rack and let stand uncovered at room temperature 1 hour.
  3. Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 375°F. Tuck turkey wing tips under. Cut 6 clementines into quarters (reserve remaining clementines for another use). Stuff cut clementines and onions into main cavity. Tie legs together loosely. Spread butter all over turkey. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon pepper and reserved 2 teaspoons clementine salt. Pour 3 cups chicken broth into pan.
  4. Roast turkey 45 minutes; baste with pan juices. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast turkey until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, basting occasionally with pan juices, adding more broth to maintain liquid level, and covering loosely with foil if browning too quickly, about 3 3/4 hours. Transfer turkey to platter; tent with foil and let rest 30 to 45 minutes (internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees).
  5. For gravy: Pour juices from roasting pan into large measuring cup. Spoon off fat that rises to surface into 1-cup measuring cup. Add enough Turkey Stock to degreased pan juices to measure 5 cups. If necessary, add enough fat reserved from Turkey Stock to fat from pan juices to measure 1/2 cup. Heat 1/2 cup fat in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ham and sauté 3 minutes. Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute. Whisk in 5 cups broth mixture and coffee. Boil until gravy is reduced to 61/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with pepper. Serve turkey with gravy.
  6. Pour juices from roasting pan into large measuring cup. Spoon off fat that rises to surface into 1-cup measuring cup. Add enough Turkey Stock to degreased pan juices to measure 5 cups. If necessary, add enough fat reserved from Turkey Stock to fat from pan juices to measure 1/2 cup.
  7. Heat 1/2 cup fat in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ham and sauté 3 minutes. Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute. Whisk in 5 cups broth mixture and coffee. Boil until gravy is reduced to 61/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with pepper. Serve turkey with gravy.

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