Festive jerk turkey with classic gravy

Ingredients:

Turkey

• 1 turkey weighing 5.5 - 6.5 kg (defrost if frozen)
• 1 tbsp. l. brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ground ancho pepper
• 1 tbsp. l. smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp onion powder
• 1 onion, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 carrot, cut into pieces
• 1 stalk of celery, cut into pieces
• 3 sprigs of thyme + 1 tbsp chopped leaves
• 165 g unsalted butter
• 0.5 cups heavy cream
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1-2 tablespoons of the sauce from the jar
• 1-2 tsp sherry vinegar or dry sherry
• Kitchen string

Classic gravy

• 145g unsalted butter, plus more as needed
• Turkey neck and giblets (excluding liver)
• 1 onion, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 0.5 cups dry white wine
• 8 cups lightly salted chicken broth + more as needed
• 3/4 cup premium flour
• Rendered fat and juices from roasting turkey

Preparation:

1. Prepare a dry marinade the day before baking..
   
   Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey; refrigerate for gravy. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons salt, brown sugar, chili powder, 2 teaspoons paprika, cumin, coriander, and onion powder. Rub about a quarter of the spice mixture into the cavity of the turkey, and spread the rest over the skin. Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
2. The next day, let the turkey stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Position the oven rack on the lowest shelf (remove the other racks); preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
3. Drain or discard any juices that have collected in the bottom of the roasting pan. Fill the turkey cavity with onions, carrots, celery, and thyme sprigs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the turkey.
4. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, add finely chopped thyme and the remaining 1 teaspoon of paprika. Let cool slightly, then brush the entire turkey with the butter mixture. Place in the oven and roast for 1 hour. Begin to simmer the giblet broth with wine for the gravy.
   
   Broth for gravy with giblets and wine.
   
   In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the neck and giblets; cook, turning, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme, and bay leaf; stir to coat. Add the wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for about 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup. You should have 7 cups of broth. If you need more, add more chicken broth.
5. After 1 hour of roasting, baste the turkey with the pan juices. Continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°F (74°C), about 2 more hours.
6. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving; reserve the roasting juices for gravy.
   
   

   Classic gravy

   
   In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter. Add the flour and stir until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in 7 cups of the prepared broth, heavy cream, and adobo sauce with pepper; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Set aside until the turkey is done; you'll need the cooking juices.
   
   Pour the juices and fat from the turkey into a fat separator and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Drain the fat (or drizzle it over the stuffing). Combine the skimmed juices with the Classic Gravy, season with salt and pepper to taste. Add sherry to the finished gravy.
   Reheat the gravy before serving. Serve with the turkey.