Thanksgiving Roasted Turkey

Each year I have to remember what we did last year - we just don't eat big turkeys that often (though each year I ask why we don't eat more turkey more often - so good!).

Here is your basic roasted turkey with roasted vegetable jus - a thin sauce.  That's not to say you can't thicken to a gravy if you prefer - but try the jus as our French mother always served, you might become a convert.

18-20 lb turkey
2 carrots, finely,diced
3 stalks celery, finely diced
2 leeks (or onions), cleaned and finely diced
2 lemons, cut into eighths
1 stick butter, softened
1 tsp Herbes de Provence, or Italian herbs
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1/2 cup cream sherry

Preheat oven to 400F.  In a small food processor, mince 2 cloves garlic then add the butter and herbs and blend together.  Place veggies into a large roasting pan and pour sherry over veggies.  Salt and pepper liberally.  Place rack over veggies and place rinsed turkey onto rack.  Pat turkey very dry and spread butter all over skin of turkey. Stuff lemons and remaining garlic cloves inside cavity of turkey.

Roast turkey for 30 minutes.  Tent turkey with aluminum foil and reduce heat to 350F.  Bake about another 3 hours, or until temperature of thigh meat registers 160F. Check veggies at bottom of pan add a cup or two of water to keep a moist pan base. 

Remove aluminum foil for last half hour if skin has not browned well.    Remove turkey from oven and cover with aluminum foil, to sit for 30 minutes before carving.  While turkey rests, strain the jus in a fine sieve.  Remove the fat from the jus, ideally with a fat separator, or with a spoon.  Reheat in a small pot on the stove as you carve the turkey.  Adjust the jus - add a bit of water if too strong, or boil down a bit if too weak.  Transfer jus to a gravy boat and serve the carved turkey with the jus on the side.