Drunken Turkey

Remove turkey from marinade and drain two hours before roasting; reserve marinade—including herbs, garlic, and peppercorns—to use in reduction sauce.

Pat turkey dry. Stuff bird with stuffing of your choice and truss or sew turkey cavity. Rub skin with a pat or two of butter. Preheat oven to 450° F. Place turkey breast side up on a roasting rack and cook for fifteen minutes to sear it. Turn the bird breast side down and reduce oven to 325° F for the rest of the roasting time (a fifteen pound turkey will take about three hours; use a meat thermometer to check for doneness). Turn it breast up for the last ten minutes to crisp breast skin.

While turkey is cooking, make the red-wine reduction marinade. This sauce is a wonderful variation on traditional gravy, and adds a great flavor to the turkey.

In a large pot, brown turkey parts in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add vegetables, a couple bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic cloves, and parsley sprigs from inside the turkey. Add two cups marinade, red wine vinegar, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer at least three hours. Strain out the solids. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce over low heat if it is necessary to concentrate flavor.

Add cream sherry and orange juice and simmer five to ten more minutes to cook away alcohol. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. If the sauce seems too watery, add cornstarch to thicken. When turkey is done cooking, pour off fat from roasting pan but reserve juices. Add some chicken stock to roasting pan, place over high heat, and deglaze pan. Reduce to a dark brown glaze and add to marinade. Marinade should be a beautiful reddish brown. Drizzle over carved turkey pieces. Enjoy!