Cooking Light's Ultimate Roasted Turkey

This is THE BEST turkey recipe EVER! It is easy enough for me and my guests couldn't believe it was my first turkey. :)

ingredients
3/4 cup apple cider
5 tablespoons dark corn syrup, divided
1 (12-pound) fresh or frozen turkey, thawed (make sure your turkey is gluten free)
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 garlic cloves, sliced and divided
2 onions, quartered and divided
2 Golden Delicious applies, cored, quartered and divided
cooking spray
1 teaspoon butter
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can fat-free, less sodium chicken broth (Progresso is gluten free)
1 tablespoon corn starch

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the cider and 4 tablespoons corn syrup in a small saucepan; bring ot a boil. Remove from heat; set aside.

Remove and reserve giblets and neck from turkey. (Personally, I reserve them for the trash can.) Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Lift the wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey. Combine poultry seasoning, sage, salt and pepper. Rub seasoning mixture into skin and body cavity. (I know. I know. "EWWWW!" But, believe me...doing this will make it taste so yummy!) Place half of the garlic, onion quarters and apple quarters into the body cavity. Place turkey, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange remaining garlic, onion and apply around turkey in pan. Insert meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Baste turkey with cider syrup and cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees an additional 2 hours and 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees, basting with cider syrup 4 times at regular intervals. Let stand for 10 minutes. Discard skin. Remove turkey from pan, reserving drippings for sauce. Place turkey on a platter, keep warm.

Strain drippings through a colander into a bowl; discard solids. Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain the drippings into a bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat.

While turkey bakes, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the reserved giblets and neck; saute for 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Add broth and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Strain mixture through a colander into a bowl, discarding solids. Reserve 1/4 cup broth mixture. Combine drippings and the remaining broth mixture into roasting pan on stovetop over medium heat, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Combine 1/4 reserved broth mixture and cornstarch; add to the roasting pan. Add 1 tablespoon corn syrup, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Serve gravy with turkey (gravy will be dark and thin).

FYI: I do not do anything with the giblets and neck. I am able to make a delicious gravy without them. 

Yield: 12 servings