Baked Turkey with Stuffing and Giblet Gravy

This turkey was awesome. It was super moist and the skin had a great flavour with all the herbs. It was also really beautiful and my family insisted on taking pictures of it.

1 recipe stuffing
1 (18-20 lb) turkey with liver, gizzard and heart reserved
1 large onion, stuck with 2 whole cloves
1 sprig fresh parsley
sea salt
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 qt water
½ lemon
8-12 Tbsp. butter, softened
black pepper, freshly cracked
salt pork, strips or bacon rinds
¼ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
¼ cup Cognac or Madeira (optional)

For the Turkey:
Remove the neck from the bird, if that has not already been done, and put the neck in a 2 qt saucepan with the liver, gizzard, heart, and onion, parsley, 2 tsp. of sea salt and the thyme. Add the water, bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, skimming. Then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Drain and reserve the broth for the sauce.  If you like, chop the gizzard, heart and liver to add to the sauce.

Rub the inside of the turkey with the lemon. Fill the body cavity and neck cavity with stuffing, but not too tightly, the crumbs should remain somewhat loose. Truss the turkey. Close the vent of the bird, either secure it with skewers and twine or sew it up. Tie the legs together firmly, and then tie them to the tail of the bird. Massage the turkey well with about 4 Tbsp. softened butter, and then sea salt and pepper it. Line a rack with strips of fresh or salt pork or with bacon rind, which you can sometimes buy from your butcher when he cuts down a whole slab.

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Set the rack in a fairly shallow roasting pan.

Place the turkey, breast side down, on the rack. Roast for 1 hour in an oven preheated. Remove the pan from the oven, turn the turkey on one side and rub with half of the remaining softened butter. Return the turkey to the oven and roast for another hour. Remove the pan from the oven, turn the turkey on its back and rub the breast with the remaining butter. Return to the oven and continue roasting till the turkey is done. Remove from the oven and place on a hot platter. Allow the turkey to rest for 15 minutes if being served hot.  If being served tepid, let it cool gently at room temperature. Remove all the twine and skewers.

For the Sauce:
Pour off all the fat, save 4 Tbsp., from the roasting pan. Discard the excess fat. Over medium heat, add the flour to the pan and blend thoroughly, scraping to loosen bits of caramelized dripping.  If there are any juices on the platter beneath the turkey, add those (skimmed of fat) as well. Gradually stir in 2 cups or more of the turkey broth and cook, stirring constantly, till the mixture thickens. Correct the seasoning. Add the giblets, if you like, and Cognac or Madeira, and simmer for about 4-5 minutes. 

Serve with the turkey and stuffing.