Traditional Roasted Turkey

Prep: 25 minutes plus standing
Roast: 4 hours • Serves: 12

1.Adjust oven rack to lowest position; preheat oven to 325°. Place roasting rack in large deep roasting pan; remove giblets, liver and neck from turkey cavity (refrigerate or freeze for another use). Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in pan; sprinkle inside cavity and outside of turkey with salt and pepper. Stuff turkey with apple and onion, placing any excess in bottom of pan; if not already secured, tie legs together with kitchen string and tuck wing tips under turkey to hold in place. Tent turkey loosely with aluminum foil; roast 1½ hours.

2.In small bowl, stir butter and garlic powder; brush turkey with some butter mixture. Add 3 cups chicken stock to roasting pan; tent turkey with foil. Roast turkey 2½ to 3 hours or until juices run clear and internal temperature reaches 160° in thickest part of thigh, making sure thermometer doesn’t touch bone, brushing every 20 minutes with butter mixture and adding 1 cup stock if bottom of pan looks dry; remove foil during last 30 minutes of roasting to brown top, if necessary. Transfer turkey to carving board; loosely cover with foil and let stand 30 minutes. (Internal temperature will rise 5 to 10° upon standing.)

3.Remove rack from roasting pan; with spoon, skim excess fat from drippings. Place roasting pan with drippings across 2 burners over medium heat; whisk in flour. Add remaining 2 or 3 cups stock and vinegar; heat 5 minutes, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan with wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Strain gravy through fine-mesh strainer if smoother consistency is desired. Stir in parsley. Makes about 2-1/4 cups.

4.Carve turkey; serve with gravy.

Approximate nutritional values per serving (2/3 cup turkey, 3 tablespoons gravy):
537 Calories, 26g Fat (10g Saturated), 283mg Cholesterol,
865mg Sodium, 3g Carbohydrates, 0g Fiber, 69g Protein