Orange Rosemary Roasted Turkey with Gravy

I found this amazing recipe in a Real Simple magazine while sitting at my mom's house last summer and said I MUST make this recipe for Thanksgiving. It turned out absolutely amazing and I am a true believer in the "turkey bag." If you are going to spend a nice chunk of money on a big bird like this, invest in the tiny little bag that locks in all that moist goodness. It cost me a whole 50 pence to protect my 25 GBP turkey...trust me in saying that I made this same recipe only 4 days earlier for another dinner without the bag and I will never make that mistake again. What I found unique about this recipe was that little tang that the orange adds with the hint of rosemary...yummy!!!

Ingredients:

2 onions, cut into wedges

2 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces

8 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 small oranges, halved

1 - 12-14 lb turkey

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 F/160 C. In a large roasting pan, scatter onions, carrots and two sprigs of rosemary; place four orange halves in the corners of the pan, cut side up. (If using a turkey bag, place the bag as directed in the roasting pan, then place the veggies inside the bag.)

Stuff the turkey with 6 sprigs of fresh rosemary...

and 2 oranges (halved).

Tuck the wings under the body and place turkey on top of the vegetables (wings are not tucked under yet in this picture - it's a huge bird and it was hard to hold).

Brush with oil.

Season with 1 tsp of salt.

If you don't have a turkey bag, you can cover the turkey loosely with a large piece of foil if the bird starts to darken too quickly. With the turkey bag you will want to brush with the oil and season with salt before placing the turkey inside the bag on top of the vegetables. Seal the bag as directed and make sure the bag is not touching the side of the bird to allow the hot air inside to roast that bird.

Roast the turkey until the meat thermometer reads 165 F. (This usually takes about 15 minutes per pound of turkey you have). Let it rest 20 minutes before carving it.

To Make the Gravy

Ingredients:

(contents from turkey)

1 cup dry white wine

1-3 cups low sodium chicken broth

4 Tbsp butter

1/3 cup flour

salt and pepper

Method:

Discard carrots and onions from pan; reserve oranges. Strain drippings. Let stand and skim off fat.

Squeeze juice from roasted oranges into skimmed drippings.

Place the empty roasting pan over the burners. Add wine and cook over medium heat scraping up bits for 1 minute. Pour liquid into skimmed dripppings and add enough to make total 4 cups liquid. Melt butter in large sauce pan over medium heat. Add flour and cook 4-5 minutes. Whisk in broth; reduce heat and simmer until thick (8-10 minutes). Season with 3/4 tsp salt adn 1/4 tsp pepper. Strain before serving.