Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (164 page)
SERVES 14 TO 16
Serve with
GIBLET PAN GRAVY FOR A CROWD
, if desired.
Substitute 15- to 18-pound turkey for 12- to 14-pound turkey, increasing salt rubbed into cavity to 3 tablespoons and into each side of breast to 1¹⁄
2
tablespoons. Increase initial roasting time to 1 hour in step 6; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees, flip turkey, and continue roasting until it reaches proper internal temperature, 1¹⁄
2
to 2 hours longer.
1.
Use your fingers or thin wooden spoon handle to separate skin from meat over breast, legs, thighs, and back.
2.
Rub salt inside main cavity.
3.
Lift skin and apply salt over each side of breast, placing half of salt on each end of each side of breast, then massaging salt evenly over meat.
4.
Apply salt over top and bottom of each leg.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Herbed roast turkey is a welcome alternative to the annual plain roasted bird, but getting great herb flavor in every bite is a challenge. After attempting to add herb flavor a variety of ways—through brining, injecting, and butterflying—we realized the answer was relatively simple. We made a vertical slit in the breast meat with a paring knife and then swept the blade back and forth. This created a pocket into which we could rub a small amount of herb paste (a combination of parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, shallot, garlic, lemon zest, mustard, and oil). We used the same paste in three other applications—underneath the skin, inside the cavity, and over the skin—to give the turkey fragrant herb flavor throughout.
See “ACHIEVING HERB FLAVOR” illustrations that follow recipe.
See “CARVING AN HERBED ROAST TURKEY” illustrations that follow recipe.
SERVES 10 TO 12
If using a self-basting turkey or kosher turkey, do not brine in step 1. If you have the time and the refrigerator space, air-drying produces extremely crisp skin and is worth the effort. After brining and patting the turkey dry, place the turkey breast side up on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, for 8 to 24 hours. Proceed with the recipe.
TURKEY AND BRINE
1 | cup salt |
1 | (12- to 14-pound) turkey, trimmed, neck, giblets, and tailpiece removed and discarded |
1 | recipe |
HERB PASTE
1¹⁄ | cups chopped fresh parsley |
4 | teaspoons minced fresh thyme |
2 | teaspoons chopped fresh sage |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons minced fresh rosemary |
1 | shallot, minced |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
³⁄ | teaspoon grated lemon zest |
³⁄ | teaspoon salt |
1 | teaspoon pepper |
¹⁄ | cup olive oil |
1 | teaspoon Dijon mustard |
1. FOR THE TURKEY AND BRINE:
Dissolve salt in 2 gallons cold water in large container. Submerge turkey in brine, cover, and refrigerate or store in very cool spot (40 degrees or less) for 6 to 12 hours.
2.
Remove turkey from brine and pat dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Place turkey, breast side up, on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and refrigerate, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
3. FOR THE HERB PASTE:
Pulse parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, shallot, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper together in food processor until coarse paste is formed, 10 pulses. Add oil and mustard; continue to pulse until mixture forms smooth paste, 10 to 12 two-second pulses; scrape bowl with rubber spatula after 5 pulses. Transfer mixture to bowl.
4. TO PREPARE THE TURKEY:
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line V-rack with heavy-duty aluminum foil and poke several holes in foil. Set V-rack in roasting pan and spray foil with vegetable oil spray. Remove turkey from refrigerator and wipe away any water collected in baking sheet; set turkey breast side up on baking sheet.
5.
Using your fingers, gently loosen skin covering breast, thighs, and drumsticks. Place 1¹⁄
2
tablespoons paste under breast skin on each side of turkey. Gently press on skin to distribute paste over breast, thigh, and drumstick meat.
6.
Using sharp paring knife, cut 1¹⁄
2
-inch vertical slit into thickest part of each side of breast. Starting from top of incision, swing knife tip down to create 4- to 5-inch pocket within flesh. Place 1 tablespoon paste in pocket of each side of breast; using your fingers, rub paste in thin, even layer.
7.
Rub 1 tablespoon paste inside turkey cavity. Rotate turkey breast side down; apply half of remaining herb paste to turkey skin; flip turkey breast side up and apply remaining herb paste to skin, pressing and patting to make paste adhere; reapply herb paste that falls onto baking sheet. Tuck tips of drumsticks into skin at tail to secure, and tuck wings behind back.
8. TO ROAST THE TURKEY:
Place turkey breast side down on prepared V-rack. Roast turkey for 45 minutes.
9.
Remove pan from oven. Using 2 large wads of paper towels, rotate turkey breast side up. Continue to roast until breast registers 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 50 to 60 minutes longer. Transfer turkey to carving board and let rest, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Carve turkey and serve with gravy.
1.
Carefully separate skin from meat on breast, thigh, and drumstick areas. Rub herb paste under skin and directly onto flesh, distributing it evenly.
2.
Make 1¹⁄
2
-inch slit in each breast. Swing knife tip through breast to create large pocket.
3.
Place thin layer of paste inside each pocket, then rub over meat.
4.
Rub remaining paste inside turkey and on skin.