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Boil apple cider and maple syrup in a heavy saucepan
over medium-high heat
until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). Remove
from heat and mix in
1/2 of the thyme and marjoram and all of the lemon
zest. Add the butter,
and whisk until melted. Add salt and ground pepper
to taste. Cover and
refrigerate until cold (syrup can be made up to
2 days ahead).
Preheat oven to 375F. Place oven rack in the lowest
third of oven.
Wash and dry turkey, and place in a large roasting
pan. Slide hand under
skin of the breast to loosen. Rub 1/2 cup of the
maple butter mix under
the breast skin. If planning on stuffing turkey,
do so now. Rub 1/4 cup
of the maple butter mixture over the outside of
the turkey. With kitchen
string, tie legs of turkey together loosely.
Arrange the chopped onion, chopped celery, and
chopped carrot around the
turkey in the roasting pan. If desired, the neck
and giblets may be added
to the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining thyme
and marjoram over the
vegetables, and pour the chicken stock into the
pan.
Roast turkey 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
Reduce oven temperature to
350F, and cover turkey loosely with foil. Continue
to roast, about 3 to 4
hours unstuffed or 4 to 5 hours stuffed, until
the internal temperature
of the thigh reaches 180F and stuffing reaches
165F. Transfer turkey to a
platter, and cover with foil. Reserve pan mixture
for gravy. Allow turkey
to sit about 25 minutes before removing stuffing
and carving.
To Make Gravy: Strain pan juices into a measuring
cup. Spoon fat from juices.
Add enough chicken stock to make 3 cups. Transfer
liquid to a heavy saucepan
and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix reserved
maple butter mixture with
flour to form a paste, and whisk into the broth.
Stir in thyme, bay leaf, and
apple brandy. Boil until reduced and slightly thickened.
Season with salt and
pepper to taste.
