Cider-basted Turkey With Roasted Apple Gravy

Total Time: 5 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 5 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/4 cup calvados (apple brandy) or 1/4 cup applejack (apple brandy)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dried sage
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 10 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored, 2 cut into quarters, 8 cut into 8 slices each
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 8 large sage leaves
• 1 (16 lb) whole turkey
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Recipe

• 1 for turkey:
• 2 position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°f
• 3 combine first 5 ingredients in small saucepan.
• 4 add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; bring liquid to boil.
• 5 set liquid aside.
• 6 mix 2 quartered apples, onion, thyme, sage leaves and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in large bowl.
• 7 rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry.
• 8 sprinkle main cavity with salt and pepper.
• 9 spoon apple mixture into main cavity.
• 10 tuck wing tips under turkey; tie legs together loosely.
• 11 place turkey in large roasting pan.
• 12 rub turkey breast and legs with butter.
• 13 pour half of basting liquid over turkey.
• 14 sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• 15 roast turkey 30 minutes.
• 16 pour remaining basting liquid over turkey.
• 17 roast 2 hours, basting frequently with pan juices and adding 1 cup (or more) water to pan if juices have evaporated.
• 18 add all apple slices to pan juices around turkey.
• 19 cover turkey loosely with foil to keep from browning too quickly.
• 20 continue to roast until apples are tender, turkey is deep brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°f, basting frequently with pan juices, about 1 hour 30 minutes longer.
• 21 transfer turkey to platter.
• 22 tent loosely with foil; let stand 30 minutes (internal temperature of turkey will increase 5 to 10 degrees).
• 23 for gravy:
• 24 using slotted spoon, transfer apples from pan juices to bowl.
• 25 pour pan juices into 4-cup measuring cup.
• 26 spoon off fat and discard.
• 27 add enough chicken broth to pan juices to measure 4 cups.
• 28 transfer broth mixture to large saucepan; simmer 5 minutes.
• 29 add reserved apples; simmer 2 minutes.
• 30 mix apple cider and cornstarch in small bowl.
• 31 whisk into gravy.
• 32 boil until gravy thickens, about 2 minutes.
• 33 season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 34 discard mixture from turkey cavity.
• 35 serve turkey with gravy.