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Thanksgiving: Herbed Roast Turkey

Source of Recipe

From "Cook's Illustrated All Time Best Holiday Entertaining"


Recipe Introduction

"The key to this boldly herbal turkey lies in infusing it with flavor at every level. An impactful herb paste rubbed on and beneath the skin got us on the right track, but slicing a pocket into each breast and filling them with the same paste put this bird's flavor over the top. If using a self-basting turkey (such as a frozen Butterball) or a kosher turkey, do not brine in step 1. For a turkey with extra-crisp skin, refrigerate, uncovered, for 8 to 24 hours in step 2. Serve with Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy."

List of Ingredients

Turkey and brine:
â—¦ 2 cups salt
â—¦ 1 (12- to 14- pound) turkey, neck and giblets removed and reserved for gravy, if desired

Herb paste:
â—¦ 1 ¼ cups coarsely chopped fresh parsley
â—¦ 1 shallot, minced
â—¦ 4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh sage
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
â—¦ ¾ teaspoon grated lemon zest
â—¦ ¾ teaspoon salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon pepper
â—¦ ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard


Recipe

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 4 to 6 hours. 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 and refrigerate, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

For the herb paste:
Pulse parsley, shallot, thyme, garlic, sage, rosemary, lemon zest, salt, and pepper 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 pulses; scrape sides of processor bowl with rubber spatula after 5 pulses. Transfer mixture to small bowl.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line large V-rack with heavy-duty aluminum foil and poke several holes in foil. Set V-rack in large roasting pan and spray foil with vegetable oil spray.

Transfer turkey to large cutting board. Carefully loosen skin from meat of breast, thighs, and drumsticks. Using your fingers or spoon, slip 1 ½ tablespoons of paste under breast skin on each side of turkey. Using your fingers, distribute paste under skin over breast, thigh, and drumstick meat.

Using sharp paring knife, cut 1 ½-inch vertical slit into thickest part of each breast. Starting from top of incision, swing knife tip down to create 4- to 5-inch pocket within flesh. Place 1 tablespoon more paste in pocket of each breast; using your fingers, rub paste in thin, even layer. Rub 1 tablespoon more 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 cutting board. Tie legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wings behind back.

Place turkey, breast side down, on V-rack. Roast turkey for 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven (close oven door to retain oven heat). Using dish towels or 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 minutes to 1 hour longer. Gently tip turkey up so that any accumulated juices in cavity run into roasting pan. Transfer turkey to a carving board and let rest, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Carve turkey and serve.

Serves 10 to 12