Roast Heritage Turkey with Bacon-Herb and Cider Gravy

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup flour 
• 0.5 cup apple cider 
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
• 2 cups apples unpeeled coarsely chopped
• 8 ounces bacon coarsely chopped
• 3  bay leaves 
• 2 teaspoons pepper black divided freshly ground
• 0.3 teaspoon peppercorns black
• 2 cups carrots peeled coarsely chopped
• 2 cups celery coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 1 tablespoon sea salt 
• 0.3 cup dijon mustard 
• 2 cups fennel bulb fresh coarsely chopped
• 0.3 cup sage fresh chopped
• 0.3 cup thyme sprigs fresh chopped
• 10 servings kosher salt 
• 0.3 cup juice of lemon fresh
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest finely grated
• 8 cups chicken broth 
• 0.5 cup olive oil 
• 2 cups onion coarsely chopped
• 4  sage whole
• 6 large thyme sprigs fresh
• 18 pound turkey for cider gravy base
• 0.3 cup skimmed fat from turkey drippings 
• 1  turkey whole (thigh and drumstick)
• 18 pound reserved turkey neck and giblets 
• 1 cup butter unsalted room temperature (2 sticks)

Equipment

• frying pan
• baking sheet
• oven
• whisk
• pot
• sieve
• plastic wrap
• kitchen thermometer
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in processor untilbacon is finely chopped.
2. Transfer to sheet ofplastic wrap. Using plastic wrap as aid, rollbutter mixture into 2-inch-diameter log; chilluntil firm. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 daysahead. Keep chilled.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F.
4. Combine turkey neck, 1/4 cup turkeyfat, and turkey leg in heavy large ovenproofpot.
5. Place in oven; roast uncovered untilturkey parts are deep, dark brown, turningonce, about 1 1/2 hours.
6. Drain, reserving fatfrom pot. Reserve 1/4 cup fat for gravy; return1 tablespoon fat to pot. Return turkey partsto pot; stir in celery, onions, thyme sprigs,and peppercorns. Return pot to oven; roastuncovered 10 minutes.
7. Add apple cider andvinegar; roast 10 minutes longer. Reduceoven temperature to 375°F.
8. Add 8 cups stockand sage to pot; cook in oven uncovered1 1/2 hours. Strain gravy base through finestrainer; discard solids in strainer (there willbe about 5 cups gravy base). DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
9. Cut bacon butter into1/4-inch-thick rounds and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Rinse turkeyinside and out; pat dry. Starting at neckend, carefully slide hand between skin andbreast meat, then slide hand between skinand thigh meat. Carefully slide butter slicesbetween skin and leg, thigh, and breast meatto cover (there will be a generous amount ofbutter mixture).
10. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon coarsesalt and 1 teaspoon pepper over turkey,and 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1 teaspoonpepper in main cavity of turkey.
11. Place turkeyon rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plasticwrap or foil; chill at least 1 day. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
12. Set rack at lowest position in oven;preheat to 350°F.
13. Mix onions, celery, fennel,carrots, apples, oil, and bay leaves in largeroasting pan.
14. Sprinkle generously with saltand pepper.
15. Place turkey atop vegetablemixture. Tuck wings under; tie legs togetherloosely to hold shape.
16. Place turkey in oven;roast until instant-read thermometer insertedinto thickest part of thigh registers 170°F,basting with pan drippings every 30 minutesand tenting loosely with foil if browning tooquickly, about 4 hours total.
17. Transfer turkeyto platter (internal temperature of turkey willincrease 5 to 10 degrees).
18. Pour vegetable mixture and pandrippings into large strainer set over largebowl; press on solids to extract liquid.Discard solids in strainer. Spoon off fat frompan drippings; discard (there will be a largeamount of fat in pan drippings). Reservedegreased pan drippings for gravy (about 1cup).
19. Remove fat from surface of gravy base;reserve 1/4 cup fat. Rewarm cider gravy base.
20. Melt reserved 1/4 cup fat in largesaucepan over medium heat.
21. Add flour; stir3 minutes. Gradually add warm cider gravybase and degreased pan drippings. Simmeruntil smooth, thickened, and reduced to 51/2cups, whisking frequently, about 5 minutes.Season gravy with salt and pepper.
22. Serve turkey with gravy.
23. In 1962, ten friendswho believed European vines could thrive inWashington State founded the Associated
24. Vintners. They began making wines in thegarage of one of their members, who became
25. Columbia Winery's first winemaker. Today,the Seattle-area winery produces everythingfrom Merlot to Gewürztraminer. With theturkey, we like Columbia's 2003 Syrah from
26. Red Willow Vineyard ($30). The strawberryand bright fruit flavors plus a spicy whitepepper finish mean this wine can stand upto the turkey—and all the trimmings.