Mole Roasted Turkey with Masa Stuffing and Chile Gravy

In honor of the greatest of all holidays, National Turkey Killing Day, here's a recipe that breaks the monotony of the same old roasted bird. Recipe courtesy of Epicurious.com.

For turkey:

• 1 (12- to 14-pound) turkey, any feathers or quills removed with tweezers or needlenose pliers; neck, heart, and gizzard removed and reserved for making Quick Turkey Stock (discard liver or reserve for another use)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• Turkey Mole Sauce
• Masa Stuffing
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Approximately 2 cups Quick Turkey Stock

For gravy:

• 2 cups Quick Turkey Stock
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chile powder

Special equipment: large flameproof roasting pan with flat or V-shaped rack; kitchen string; aluminum foil; bulb baster (optional); instant-read thermometer


Prepare turkey:


Rinse turkey and pat dry. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper and transfer to roasting pan. Set aside 1 1/2 cups mole for serving (refrigerate until ready to use), then coat turkey inside and out with remainder. Cover turkey with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.

Arrange oven rack in lowest position and preheat oven to 450°F. Butter 2-quart casserole or 8-inch square baking dish.

Loosely fill main cavity of turkey with stuffing. Transfer remaining stuffing to prepared dish and drizzle with 1/2 cup stock. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. Dab turkey all over with melted butter. Tuck wing tips under breast and loosely tie legs together with kitchen string. Pour 1/4 cup stock into pan.

Roast turkey 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F, cover turkey loosely with foil, and continue roasting 45 minutes more. Remove foil, add 1/4 cup stock to pan, and continue to roast, basting with pan juices every 30 minutes, 1 1/2 hours more.

Increase oven temperature to 450°F, rotate pan 180° in oven, and add 1/4 cup stock to pan. Remove extra stuffing from refrigerator (do not uncover) and transfer to oven alongside turkey. Bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Keep warm, covered. Meanwhile, continue to roast turkey, adding 1/4 cup stock to pan and basting every 15 minutes, until instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours more (2 1/2 to 3 hours total).

Transfer turkey to platter (do not clean roasting pan). Insert thermometer into center of stuffing. If thermometer does not read 165°F, remove stuffing and microwave until 165°F. Keep warm. Let turkey rest at least 1/2 hour before carving.

While turkey is resting, make gravy:

Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners on moderately high heat. Add stock and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan. Remove from heat.

In medium saucepan melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until roux is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add stock mixture in steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then simmer until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into medium bowl and stir in lime juice, salt, and chile powder. Keep warm.

In small saucepan over low heat, gently reheat reserved mole sauce. Serve turkey with gravy and mole alongside.