Cathleen's Kitchen

ROAST TURKEY & GRAVY

Ingredients:
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 TBLsps. fresh sage, chopped
16 lb. turkey
salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups leeks, white and green parts, chopped
8 lg. fresh sage sprigs
3 bay leaves, crumbled
4 1/2 cups canned chicken broth
Garnish: fresh sage and parsley

In medium bowl, mix bacon, butter and sage. Season lightly with salt and pepper; set aside. Pat turkey dry with paper towels and season cavity with salt and pepper. Place leeks, sage and bay leaves in cavity. Loosen skin on turkey breast and spread 1/3 cup sage butter over meat, under skin. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan and rub 2 TBLsps. sage butter over outside of turkey. Set aside 1/3 cup butter for gravy; reserve remaining for basting. Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Pour 1/3 cup broth over turkey and roast turkey at 350 degrees until thermometer inserted into thickest part of inner thigh registers 180 degrees. Baste every 30 minutes with 1/3 cup broth and brush with sage butter for approximately 3 hours. Transfer turkey to platter and let stand 30 minutes. To prepare gravy, pour pan juices into large glass measuring cup, spoon off fat; discard. Pour juices back into saucepan, add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until liquid is reduced to 2 cups. Whisk in reserved 1/3 cup sage butter, season to taste.

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