Southern Roast Turkey with
Bourbon Peach Glaze

serves 15 plus leftovers

For the dish:
15-Pound WHOLE TURKEY fresh or frozen
1-1/2 Teaspoon salt
½ Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ Cup peach preserves
2 Tablespoons bourbon
2 Teaspoons Angostura bitters

For the garnish:
5 pickled peaches
Flat Italian parsley sprigs

For the Turkey:
Remove giblets and neck from turkey; reserve for gravy. Rinse turkey with cold running water and drain well. Blot dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and pepper in the cavities of the bird. 3. Fold neck skin and fasten to the back with skewers. Fold the wings under the back of the turkey. Return legs to tucked position. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (no more than 2-1/2″ deep) roasting pan. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into thickest part of the thigh, being careful it does not touch the bone. Roast turkey in a preheated 325 degree F. oven about 3-3/4 hours. Baste with the pan juices. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, over low heat, combine preserves, bourbon and bitters. Cook until preserves have melted. During the last 30 minutes of roasting time, baste the bird with the bourbon peach glaze. Continue to roast until the thermometer registers 180 degrees F. in the thigh, or 170 degrees F. in the breast. Remove turkey from the oven and allow the bird to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Place on a warm large platter and garnish with pickled peaches. Enjoy!

"My Choice of Wine"
The reason I went with a red wine is because I've realized that we're eating more than just turkey. There's the stuffing with sausage, and herbs, and nuts, and maybe even fruit. (Mrs. Chef Rob has been pushing those dried cherries lately.) There's the gravy. There are the sweet yams and sometimes even candied sweet potatoes, and of course, we can't forget the Brussels sprouts. Moreover, what if there's wine's most difficult culinary foe: the artichoke? It makes almost any wine bitter.

Bonny Doon, Grenache Village, Navarra Grenache ($10.99)
Deep ruby in color with beautifully long legs, the wine has a bright red berry/boysenberry nose. On the palate it delivers plenty of luscious flavor with distinctive notes of sweet plums and only the mildest of tannins. It's wonderfully fruity and finishes well.

Enjoy with the compliments of Chef Rob and the gang at The Pennsylvania School of Culinary Arts!

» Learn more about Culinary Arts/Restaurant Management at The Pennsylvania School of Culinary Arts - a Division of YTI Career Institute-Lancaster