Wild Turkey Breast with Morel Mushroom and Wild leek Gravy

For Dark Turkey Stock:

• Preheat oven to 450 F. Chop the turkey carcass into large pieces at the joints so that it will fit into a large pot. Lay the bones onto a roasting pan.
  Chop the onion, carrot and celery into large pieces (1-2”) and add them to the pan with bones.
  Cut the head of garlic (skin on) in half horizontally and place cut side down on the pan.
  Put the pan into the oven and roast until the turkey bones are dark and caramel colour 45-60′. Add the contents of the roasting pan to a large pot.
  Deglaze the pan with cold water and scrape any brown caramelized bits of meat and vegetables off and pour into the pot. This step is often overlooked but provides a lot of flavour to the stock.
  Fill the pot with cold water to cover the bones and vegetables. Add the herbs and spices and simmer on low for 4-6 hours.
  Strain the liquid into a large container and cool on the counter until room temperature. You will need a litre of stock for the morel gravy. Left over stock can be frozen or stored in the fridge for up to 1 week. Stock can be used for cooking lentils, rice, beans, or soup.

For Turkey Brine:

• Bring all the ingredients except the ice water to a boil in a pot on high heat.
• Remove and pour the contents into a container large enough for the turkey breast and all of the brine.
• Add the ice water to cool down the brine and add the turkey breast. The brine should be cold before adding the meat.
• Let the meat brine for at least 4 hours, but over night is best.
• Discard the brine and pat the meat dry before cooking.

For the Gravy:

• Melt the butter on medium heat and add the mushrooms. Cook for 1 minute, add the flour stirring constantly, until the flour has been absorbed.
• Cook to toast the flour mixture until it is dark and caramel in colour while stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
• Slowly add a ladle of the turkey stock while whisking until there are no lumps. Add another ladle of stock and continue whisking and repeat until all the stock is incorporated.
• Add the bay leaves and salt. Simmer the gravy to thicken for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Add the sliced leeks, keep warm and cover.

For the Turkey Breast:

• Once the gravy is finish preheat your oven to 250 F. Preheat a large cast iron or heavy bottom pan on medium high heat on the stovetop.
• The turkey does not need any additional seasoning because it was seasoned in the brine. Add a little oil and butter to the pan and sear the breast skin side down for 3-4′ until the skin is brown and crispy.
• Turn off the burner and flip the breast so the skin is facing up.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for approximately 2 hours depending on the size of the turkey breast. Cooking at this low of a temperature will ensure the meat is very tender and juicy. The brine also helps tenderize the meat and the combination of the cooking method will ensure a beautifully roasted wild turkey breast.
• Cook until the internal temperature is 155 F. Let the meat rest for 5′ before slicing.
• If you have any extra mushrooms or wild leeks quickly sauté them in the same pan and serve with the sliced meat and morel mushroom gravy.