Turducken With Bourbon And Thyme Gravy

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in lower third of oven. Rub turducken with softened butter and season with salt and pepper. Place turducken on rack in medium roasting pan. Add 1 ½ cups stock to pan.

Cover with foil and roast for about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Uncover and cook additional 15 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer into center of turducken registers 165°F. The broth in the pan will reduce to a dark brown glaze. If it seems too dark, pour in ½ c more stock or water.

Transfer turducken to cutting board to rest.

Pour pan juices into large heatproof glass bowl, leaving browned bits in pan. Skim off fat from top, reserving ½ c fat in liquid measuring cup (add melted butter if needed to measure ½ c), set aside. Add chicken stock to bowl with pan juices to make 6 c total liquid.

Place roasting pan over two burners over medium heat. Add reserved fat and flour, whisking to make a paste, about 1 minute. Add pan juice/stock mixture, bourbon and thyme. Whisk until smooth and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits in pan. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, whisking often, until gravy is smooth and lightly thickened, 5-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, remove netting from turducken and cut crosswise into ½-in slices. Serve with gravy.

Note: For a non-alcoholic version, substitute additional broth for the bourbon.