Author's Notes: Don't miss out on this gravy- the caramelized onions and addition of balsamic vinegar make it truly remarkable.

Roast Turkey with Caramelized Onion & Sage Gravy Print Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tbs. Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil
  • ½ Cup 18 Year Traditional Balsamic
  • 1 ½ Pounds Sliced Onions
  • 1 14-15 pound Turkey, neck, heart and gizzard removed and reserved
  • 2 Tbs. Butter, room temperature
  • 8 Large Whole Sage Leaves plus 1 ½ Tsp. chopped sage
  • 2 Cups (or more) chicken broth
  • 6 Tbs. All Purpose Flour
  • ¾ Cup Dry White Wine

Preparation:

  1. Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 425˚F. Toss onions and 3 Tbs. olive oil in large roasting pan. Roast until golden brown, stirring every 15 min.; about 1 hr. Add balsamic during last 15 minutes of roasting onions.
  2. Meanwhile rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Slide hand under skin of breast to loosen skin, spread butter under skin over breast meat. Place 4 sage leaves under skin on each side of breast.
  3. Tuck wing tips under turkey, tie legs loosely together with kitchen twine. Rub turkey all over with remaining Tbs. mushroom sage olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Place turkey atop onions in pan. Add neck, heart and gizzard pieces to pan.
  5. Roast turkey 30 min. Pour 2 cups broth into pan. Tent turkey loosely with foil, and reduce temp to 350˚F. Roast 2 hrs., then uncover.
  6. Continue to roast until turkey is golden brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165˚F, basting occasionally with pan juices, (about 1 hr. longer).
  7. Transfer to platter, then cover loosely with foil and let stand 30 min. to rest. Remove neck and giblet pieces from pan; discard. Pour onion mixture through a strainer into fat separator, let stand, reserving onions in strainer.
  8. Gravy:
  9. Heat 2 Tbs. of the turkey fat in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
  10. Add chopped sage, stir 30 seconds. Add flour, whisk until beginning to color, about 3 min. (mixture will be dry and crumbly.)
  11. Add wine while whisking. Gradually whisk in pan drippings from separator. Simmer until gravy thickens to desired consistency, whisking frequently.
  12. Add caramelized onions back into the gravy sauce pan and heat through thoroughly. Adjust salt & pepper to taste.