America's Test Kitchen's Braised Turkey

Saw this recipe done on The Chew and it looked moist -so decided to try it out pre-Thanksgiving with a roasting chicken --brine and all --I halved all the ingredients and it was delicious --can't wait to try it out on a turkey!

For the Turkey:

1 cup Salt

Pepper

1 cup Sugar

1 Whole Bone-In Turkey Breast (5 to 7 lb;

trimmed)

4 pounds Turkey Drumsticks and Thighs

(trimmed)

3 Onions (chopped)

3 Celery ribs (chopped)

2 Carrots (peeled and chopped)

6 Garlic cloves (peeled and crushed)

2 Bay leaves

6 sprigs fresh Thyme

6 sprigs fresh Parsley

1/2 ounce Dried Porcini Mushrooms

(rinsed)

4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (melted)

4 cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

1 cup Dry White Wine

For the Gravy:

3 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour

Salt

Pepper

For the Turkey: Dissolve 1 cup salt and sugar in 2 gallons cold

water in large container. Submerge turkey pieces in brine, cover,

and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours. 

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 500

degrees. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels.

Toss onions, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, parsley,

porcini, and 2 tablespoons butter in large roasting pan; arrange in

even layer. Brush turkey pieces with remaining 2 tablespoons

butter and season with pepper. Place turkey pieces, skin side up,

over vegetables, leaving at least 1/4-inch between pieces. Roast

until skin is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. 

Remove pan from oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees.

Pour broth and wine around turkey pieces (it should come about

three-quarters of way up legs and thighs). Place 12 by 16-inch

piece of parchment paper over turkey pieces. Cover roasting pan

tightly with aluminum foil. Return covered roasting pan to oven and

cook until breasts register 160 degrees and thighs register 175

degrees, 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours. Transfer turkey to carving board, tent

loosely with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.

For the Gravy: Strain vegetables and liquid from roasting pan

through fine-mesh strainer set in large bowl. Press solids with

back of spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard

vegetables. Transfer liquid to fat separator; allow to settle, 5

minutes. Reserve 3 tablespoons fat and measure out 3 cups

braising liquid (reserve any remaining broth for another use). 

Heat reserved fat in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is dark golden

brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 3 cups braising

liquid and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer,

stirring occasionally, until gravy is thick and reduced to 2 cups, 15

to 20 minutes. Remove gravy from heat and season with salt and

pepper to taste.

Carve turkey and serve, passing gravy separately.

Helpful Tips:

1. The turkey should be braised in parts so nothing overcooks. 

2. Save time by making the gravy at the same time as the turkey