One 20- to 21-pound fresh whole turkey, giblets and neck removed from cavity and reserved
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
One 750-ml bottle dry white wine
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Classic Stuffing
1 cup dry red or white wine, for gravy (optional)
Giblet Stock
Step 1 Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature. Advertisement
Step 2 Place rack on lowest level in oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, 4-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
Step 3 Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; an instant-read thermometer is a much more accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity and neck cavity loosely with as much stuffing as they hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
Step 4 Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
Step 5 After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
Step 6 After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 180 degrees (stuffing should be between 140 degrees and 160 degrees) and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 7 When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup. Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan. Add giblet stock to pan. Stir well, and bring back to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more. You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy. Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.
If your roasting pan only fits sideways in the oven, turn the pan every hour so the turkey cooks and browns evenly. Advertisement
5 star values: 193
4 star values: 199
3 star values: 178
2 star values: 74
1 star values: 25
Brined to retain moisture, then basted with butter and wine while roasting, this turkey, the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal, is golden and juicy. The bird is brined for 24 hours, so leave plenty of time for this recipe. If you dont brine yours, skip steps one and two. Martha Stewart Living, November 2005
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Cover the turkey with cheesecloth that has been soaking in the butter and wine. It should cover the breast and part of the leg area. Place the turkey, legs first, in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, then brush the cheesecloth and exposed turkey parts with the butter mixture and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees.
Credit: Bryan Gardner
Every 30 minutes, use a pastry brush (better than a bulb baster) to baste the cheesecloth and exposed areas of the turkey with the butter-and-wine mixture. Basting should be done in the oven and as quickly as possible so the oven temperature doesnt drop.
After the second hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard the cheesecloth, which will have browned. Baste the turkey with pan juices, taking care not to tear the skin, and return it to the oven.
FAQ
How do you make a Martha Stewart fresh turkey?
In her recipe for perfect roasted turkey, Martha roasts a 20-pound. Before it goes into the oven, she covers the turkey with four layers of cheesecloth soaked in her butter and white wine basting mixture. The cheesecloth will keep the bird moist and prevent it from getting too dark too quickly.
How do you make a Martha Stewart Thanksgiving turkey?
Season generously with salt and pepper. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Roast 1 hour, then baste every 30 minutes with pan liquids, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 125 degrees, about 3 hours. Remove foil; raise oven heat to 400 degrees.
