Brown Sugar-Cured Turkey with Mushroom gravy

 

.Wild mushrooms are featured in a rich-tasting gravy for this delicious turkey. Because it is cooked slowly at a low temperature, the turkey is extremely moist and flavourful.

Serve with a bottle of selection estate Series Napa Valley Stag’s Leap District Merlot.

 

1 20 pound turkey

1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1/4 cup coarse salt

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground mace

2 large onions, quartered

2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

 

Rinse turkey, pat dry. Place turkey on platter. Mix brown sugar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, allspice, cloves and mace in small bowl to blend. Rub mixture all over outside of turkey. Refrigerate uncovered 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Arrange onion quarters in large roasting pan. Place turkey atop onions. Tie turkey legs together and tuck wings under. Sprinkle turkey with pepper, cover loosely with foil.

Roast turkey 2 hours. Uncover, roast 30 minutes. Add 1 cup broth to pan; baste turkey with broth. Roast turkey 1 hour, basting occasionally. Add 1 cup broth to roasting pan, continue to roast turkey until dark borwn, basting with broth every 20 minutes, about 1 hour. Cover turkey loosely with foil; continue to roast until thermometer inserted into innermost part of thigh registers 180 degrees F, about 1 hour longer.

Transfer turkey to platter. Tent with foil and let stand 30 minutes. Serve with Wild Mushroom Shallot Gravy.

 

Wild Mushroom-Shallot Gravy

1/4 cup olive oil

10 shallots, peeled

4 garlic cloves, peeled

12 ounces sliced wild mushrooms (such as oyster , morel and shiitake)

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

2 tsp chopped fresh sage

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup dry sherry

1-1/2 cup chicken stock

1 cup whipping cream

 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine oil, shallots and garlic in glass baking dish, cover with foil. Bake until pale golden, cool slightly.

Thinly slice shallots and garlic, reserve oil in dish. Transfer 1 tablespoon oil from baking dish to large saucepan. Heat oil over medium-high heat.

Add mushrooms, rosemary, thyme, sage, and roasted shallots and garlic to saucepan, sauté until tender. Add red wine and Sherry, boil until syrupy, about 6 minutes. Add stock; boil until liquid is reduced by half. Add cream, boil until mixture thickens to sauce consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 3 cups.