Transfer the turkey to a carving board or platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for at least 45 minutes and up to 1 hour before carving and serving.
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From "How to Make a Turkey," by the editors of Fine Cooking magazine
Per serving: 553 calories, 73 grams protein, 25 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 4 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 212 milligrams cholesterol, 2,504 milligrams sodium
SECOND PLACE
RATING: ** 1/2 (2 1/2 stars)
TURKEY WITH HERBES DE PROVENCE AND CITRUS (WITH GRAVY) SERVES 8 TO 10
one 14- to 15-pound turkey, neck and giblets reserved
1 orange, cut into wedges
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1 onion, cut into wedges
6 fresh rosemary sprigs (divided use)
6 fresh sage sprigs (divided use)
6 fresh oregano sprigs (divided use)
7 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided use)
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 tablespoon olive oil
11 / 2 teaspoons salt, plus more for gravy
11 / 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more for gravy
6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth (approximate amount -- divided use)
1 / 3 cup all-purpose flour
Position the rack in the lowest third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
Rinse the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the turkey on a rack set inside a large roasting pan. Place the orange, lemon, onion and 2 sprigs of each fresh herb in the main turkey cavity. Tie the legs together to hold the shape of the turkey.
Stir 2 tablespoons of butter, the herbes de Provence, oil, and the salt and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat just until the butter melts. Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey and between the turkey breast meat and skin. Place the turkey neck and giblets in roasting pan. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before roasting.)
Cover the turkey breast with foil. Roast for 20 minutes. Pour 3 cups of broth into the pan and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining sprigs of fresh herbs to the pan. Roast the turkey for 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Remove the foil from the turkey; pour 1 more cup of broth into the pan.
Continue roasting the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees to 175 degrees or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 1 hour and 30 minutes longer. Transfer the turkey to a platter and tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes while preparing the gravy.
To make the gravy: Strain the turkey pan juices from the roasting pan through a sieve and into a 4-cup glass measuring cup; discard the solids. Spoon off the fat from the pan juices. Add enough chicken broth, about 1 to 2 cups, to the pan juices to measure 4 cups total.
Melt the remaining butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the broth. Simmer until the gravy thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the turkey with the gravy.
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From Giada De Laurentiis, food network.com
Per serving (based on 10 servings): 874 calories, 105 grams protein, 45 grams fat, 16 grams saturated fat, 6 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 317 milligrams cholesterol, 639 milligrams sodium
THIRD PLACE
RATING: ** (2 stars)
CAN'T-GO-WRONG ROAST TURKEY SERVES 6 TO 8
one 10- to 12-pound turkey
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 / 4 teaspoon black pepper
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove the turkey giblets. Rinse the turkey inside and out under cool running water, then pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey on a wire rack in a metal roasting pan. Spread the oil evenly over the turkey and season with the salt and pepper. Roast the turkey until golden brown, about 45 minutes.
Add about 1 cup of water to the pan and cover the turkey loosely with a large sheet of foil. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. Continue to roast until a thermometer inserted in a thigh registers 180 degrees, about 1 3 / 4 hours more, depending on the size of the turkey. Leave the foil in place and let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. (If making gravy, reserve the pan drippings.)
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From "Real Simple Celebrations"
Per serving (based on 8 servings): 716 calories, 91 grams protein, 36 grams fat, 10 grams saturated fat, 0 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 264 milligrams cholesterol, 939 milligrams sodium
Coming next week: Our series breaks down the basics of great stuffing, a dish often laden with tradition and expectation.
