YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
13 to 15 Pound Turkey
Salted or unsalted butter
All Purpose flour
Seasonings
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
Chef Paul prudhomme’s poultry magic
Cayenne pepper
Fresh sage
Tools you’ll need
Roasting pan with rack (Supports up to 25lbs of turkey)
Meat Thermometer
Flavor injector
Pastry brush
***THIS RECIPE IS FOR 13 TO 15 POUND TURKEY***
Thawing your Turkey
If your turkey is frozen you must thaw it completely before proceeding to the other steps.
Note- Thawing times vary depending on size of turkey.
Step 1- Add turkey into a large pot. Add cold water into pot. For a 13-to-18-pound turkey it could take up to 5 to 9 hours to thaw completely
Other additional steps you can follow.
Step 1A- Wipe your kitchen sink really good with soap and water. Rinse thoroughly and fill with cold water. Place turkey inside of sink and let sit for 5 to 9 hours.
Step 1B- Place turkey into fridge and let sit for 3 to 4 days. Note- It can take less or more time for the turkey to completely thaw depending on size of turkey.
IF YOU ARE USING A LARGER SIZED TURKEY FOLLOW THESE GUIDE LINES
18 TO 22 LBS 4 TO 5 DAYS IN FRIDGE 9 TO 11 HOURS IN COLD WATER
22-24 LBS 5 TO 6 DAYS IN FRIDGE 11 TO 12 HOURS IN COLD WATER
24 -30 lbs 6 TO 7 DAYS IN FRIDGE 12 TO 15 HOURS IN COLD WATER
Step- 2 Remove turkey out of package. Remove turkey neck from the back of the turkey. Remove package located in the front of the turkey. Inside the package there’s a turkey giblet and the turkey heart. Set the giblet on the side and discard the turkey heart.
Step 3- Place in strainer and rinse with cold water.
Step 4- Pat Turkey dry with napkins
Step 5 in a small bowl add 1/4 Cup melted unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon chef Paul Prudhomme’s poultry magic and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stir all ingredients together. (This will be used to inject the turkey)
Step 6- In a separate bowl add 1/2 cup of melted unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon chef Paul Prudhomme’s poultry magic, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped sage. Stir all ingredients together. (This will be used to baste the turkey)
***Preheat oven to 325 degrees***
If you want to stuff your turkey this is the time to do it.
Step 7- Add injectable butter base into flavor injector. Inject the turkey breast, wings, thighs etc. Careful not to add too much of the seasoning into the flavor injector otherwise you will clog the injector. If you run out for any reason you can make a second batch.
Step 8- Brush the Turkey butter base onto the entire turkey using a pastry brush. Do not add this into flavor injector otherwise the chopped sage leaves will clog the flavor injector. If you run out for any reason at all you can make another batch if you like.
Step 9- Carefully place turkey into your rack of your baking pan.
Step 10- Place turkey into preheated 325 degree oven for 1 hour.
If you have a larger turkey use this as a guideline
18 to 22 lbs Unstuffed 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Stuffed 4 1/2 to 5 hours
22 to 24 lbs Unstuffed 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Stuffed 5 to 5 1/2 hours
24 to 30 lbs Unstuffed 4 1/2 to 5 hours. Stuffed 5 1/2 to 6 hours
Step 11- Remove turkey out of oven. Brush turkey with pan drippings or with the turkey butter base you’ve made. Place back into a preheated 325 degree oven for 1 hour.
Step 12- Remove turkey out of oven. Preheat oven to 310 degrees. Brush Turkey with pan drippings of with the turkey butter base you’ve made. Place into a preheated 310 degree oven for 40 minutes.
***Preheat fire to medium high heat***
Step 13- In a small pot add 4 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon of Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon chef Paul Prudhomme’s poultry magic. Stir. Add Turkey neck and giblets. Cover with lid and let simmer for 1 hour.
Step 14- Once turkey stock is done remove turkey neck and giblets. Set aside. You can remove the meat from the turkey neck and add into a stuffing. You can also chop the turkey giblets and add it into a stuffing as well.
Step 15 Remove your turkey out of oven. Drain turkey fat and meat drippings from the pan into a mesh strainer with a bowl underneath it to catch the turkey fat. This turkey fat is highly seasoned, and you will need it to add to your turkey gravy later so set it aside.
Step 16- Insert meat thermometer into breast of turkey. Temperature should be 170 degrees or slightly higher.
Step 17 Insert meat thermometer into thigh of turkey. Temperature should be 180 degrees or slightly higher.
If your turkey has not reached the recommended temperatures baste turkey first, then place back into a preheated 310-degree oven for 30 minutes. Repeat this step until the turkey is done or the temperatures of the turkey breast or thigh have been reached or surpassed by a very slight margin.
***Preheat fire to medium high heat***
Step 18- Add 1/2 cup of turkey pan drippings and 1/2 or 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour. Stir all ingredients together. The more flour you add the thicker the gravy will be. Also, if your roux starts to clump up don’t panic. Once you add your turkey stock the roux will dissolve into the stock.
Step 19- Add Turkey stock. Stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until the roux has dissolved into the stock.
Step 20- Add the turkey fat that I told you to set aside and stir all ingredients together.
If your gravy is too thick add 1/4 cup of water to it to thin it out. You can also add an additional 1/4 cup if you like.
Step 21- Add 1/2 teaspoon tony Chachere’s creole seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon of chef Paul Prudhomme’s poultry magic. Stir all ingredients for 1 minute. After 1 minute turn your fire off and allow the turkey gravy to cool. This will cause the flavors to settle and increase.
Serve Turkey warm or hot and enjoy!
YouTube instructional video
