- 4 cups pear nectar
- 2 cups tawny Port
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1 20-pound turkey, patted dry
- Sausage, Leek and Currant Stuffing
- 1 large egg, beaten to blend
- 1/4 cup pear nectar
- 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- Assorted fresh herbs (optional)
- Boil all ingredients in heavy large saucepan until reduced to 2 cups, about 40 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon 7 cups stuffing into main turkey cavity and 2 cups into neck cavity. Tuck wings under turkey body. Tie legs together. Add 1 egg and 1/4 cup pear nectar to remaining stuffing in bowl and toss well. Transfer to buttered 13x9x2-inch baking dish; cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate.
- Reserve 1 cup glaze for gravy. Brush some of remaining glaze over turkey. Pour 1 cup chicken stock into bottom of pan. Cover turkey completely with foil. Place turkey in oven and roast 45 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. and continue roasting 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with glaze and keeping turkey covered. Uncover, baste turkey and roast until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F. and turkey is golden, about 15 minutes longer. (Place stuffing in covered baking dish in oven for last 50 minutes.) Transfer turkey to platter. Tent with aluminum foil.
- Pour pan juices into heavy large saucepan. Degrease pan juices. Place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add degreased pan juices and remaining 3 cups stock and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Strain mixture back into saucepan, pressing on solids. Add reserved 1 cup glaze and simmer 5 minutes. Mix flour and butter to paste in small bowl; whisk in 1/2 cup stock mixture. Return mixture to remaining stock mixture in saucepan and boil until thick enough to coat spoon, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes.
- Garnish turkey with fresh herbs if desired. Serve turkey and stuffing, passing gravy separately.