Ingredients

Serves 8

　　a 12- to 14-pound turkey (reserving neck and giblets for making stock, but excluding liver)

　　kitchen string

　　1/2 cup red currant jelly

　　

For gravy

pan juices reserved from turkey

　　4 cups turkey giblet stock plus additional for thinning gravy

　　1/4 cup red currant jelly

　　3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

　　3 tablespoons water

　　3 tablespoons cornstarch

　　Garnish: fresh sage leaves

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with a small skewer. If desired, secure wings to body with small skewers. Transfer turkey to a rack set in a flameproof roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Loosely tie drumsticks together with kitchen string. Roast turkey in middle of oven 2 1/2 hours.

　　

Step 3

Brush turkey all over with jelly and roast 45 minutes more, or until a meat thermometer inserted in fleshy part of an inner thigh registers 175°F. and juices run clear when thigh is pierced. Transfer turkey to a heated platter and reserve juices in pan. Remove skewers and discard string. Let turkey stand 30 minutes.

　　

Make gravy while turkey is standing:

Step 4

Skim fat from reserved juices in pan. Add 4 cups stock and deglaze pan over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits. Add jelly and bring to a boil, whisking until jelly is dissolved. Season gravy with salt and pepper and pour through a sieve into a saucepan. Stir in sage and bring sauce to a boil.

　　

Step 5

In a small bowl whisk together water and cornstarch and add to gravy, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Boil gravy, whisking constantly, 5 minutes. If necessary, whisk in additional stock to thin gravy to desired consistency and season with salt and pepper. Transfer gravy to a heated sauceboat.

　　

Step 6

Garnish turkey with sage leaves and serve with gravy.