Turkey in Gravy with Chestnuts
What if you didn’t have to carve a turkey this year? What if it was almost impossible to overcook? And what if you could ditch both roasting pan and meat thermometer? We took everything you love about this big bird and gave it a new spin. Our foolproof recipe breaks the turkey down into easy-to-manage […]
Ingredients
- 3 cups (750 ml) turkey or chicken broth
- 1 oz (28 g) dried mushrooms (such as boletes, morels, porcini), roughly chopped, rinsed and drained (optional)
- 1 turkey, about 10 lb (4.5 kg), cut into 8 pieces (see note)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 3 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) white wine
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) cognac or brandy
- 1/2 cup (100 g) vacuum-sealed or canned chestnuts, drained and chopped (see note)
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 3 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp roasted hazelnuts, chopped
- 2 tbsp curly parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add the mushrooms, if desired, and cover. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a large, high-sided ovenproof skillet or pot over medium-high heat, brown half of the turkey pieces at a time in 1 tbsp of the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside on a plate.
- In the same skillet, lightly brown the onion and garlic in the remaining butter. Sprinkle in the flour and continue cooking, while stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth with the mushrooms (if using), wine and cognac. Bring to a boil while whisking. Season with salt and pepper. Add the turkey pieces.
- Transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, for 1 hour 30 minutes or just until the thigh meat easily comes away from the bone.
- Remove the turkey pieces and set aside on a large plate. Over medium-high heat, reduce the sauce for 10 minutes or until it has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Adjust the seasoning. Return the turkey pieces to the sauce.
What if you didn’t have to carve a turkey this year? What if it was almost impossible to overcook? And what if you could ditch both roasting pan and meat thermometer? We took everything you love about this big bird and gave it a new spin. Our foolproof recipe breaks the turkey down into easy-to-manage pieces and roasts them in a pot. The cooking liquid, boosted with mushrooms, wine and cognac, becomes your gravy, while the topping of chestnuts, hazelnuts, shallot, panko and parsley is the stuff of stuffing dreams.