Anthony Bourdain's Thanksgiving turkey recipe has a unique ‘Asian twist’

Chef Anthony Bourdain was in favor of keeping Thanksgiving dinner traditional.

The autumnal festival isn’t for getting fancy, he said, and rather should stick to the basics with turkey and gravy, stuffing, brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, and sweet potatoes.

The late chef also knows how stressful it is for homemakers to prepare for the holiday, which is why he shared his three-day method to make it more manageable. He recommends prepping all the ingredients on day two, so that by day three (the actual holiday on the fourth Thursday of November) you can easily toss everything together while the bird cooks.

Turkey is the trickiest of them all and arguably the most important - this is how he makes his delicious bird with an Asian twist in just a few hours. The turkey only takes 10 minutes of prep and approximately two-and-a-half hours to cook, while the gravy takes only 5 minutes of prep and approximately an hour to cook.

READ MORE: History of Thanksgiving explained - everything to know about the contestious day

Ingredients for turkey

• One 14-pound turkey, neck reserved for stock and giblets reserved for stuffing

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• Kosher salt

• Pepper

Ingredients for gravy

• 3 qt turkey stock

• 2 cup dry red wine

• 2 shallots, coarsely chopped

• 1 stick unsalted butter

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup reserved turkey pan drippings

• 1 tsp Asian fish sauce

• ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce

• Kosher salt

• Pepper

Instructions for turkey

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F, and set a v-shape rack in a roasting pan.

2. Brush the turkey all over with the butter and season with salt and pepper.

3. Rest the turkey on the rack, breast side up, and add 2 cups of water to the pan.

4. Roast the turkey for about 2 hours, basting occasionally, until golden and the inner thigh registers 165°F.

5. Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer to a baking sheet. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

6. Pour the pan drippings into a bowl and reserve for the stuffing.

7. Carve the turkey, arrange it on a platter, and serve.

Instructions for gravy

1. In a large saucepan, combine the turkey stock, wine, and shallots. Bring it to a simmer.

2. Cook over moderate heat for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until reduced by half.

3. Strain the stock into a large bowl.

4. Wipe out the saucepan, and melt the butter in the saucepan.

5. Add the flour and cook over moderate heat for 4-5 minutes, whisking frequently until deep golden.

6. Whisk in the strained stock and the reserved turkey pan drippings. Bring it to a simmer.

7. Cook over moderately high heat for another 5 minutes, whisking occasionally until the gravy is thickened.

8. Stir in the fish sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Lastly, season with salt and pepper.