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Thanksgiving: Roast Turkey for a Crowd

Source of Recipe

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


Recipe Introduction

"Unless you have access to multiple ovens, only a very large turkey will do when you've got a crowd coming to dinner. But finding a container large enough to brine a gargantuan bird can be tricky, and turning the bird in the oven (our usual method for evenly cooked meat) can be tricky. We wanted the Norman Rockwell picture of perfection: a crisp, mahogany skin wrapped around tender, moist meat. And it had to be easy to prepare in a real home kitchen. We chose a Butterball turkey, which has already been brined for juicy flavor (a kosher bird, which has been salted, works well, too). A combination of high and low heat produced a tender, juicy bird with deeply browned skin. We boosted the savory flavor with the addition of onion, carrot, and celery, and a quartered lemon added bright, clean flavor. After roasting, we allowed the turkey to rest so the juices could redistribute. If you are reluctant to rotate the turkey in step 4, skip the step of lining the V-rack with foil and roast the bird breast side up for the full time. Serve with Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3 onions, chopped coarse
â—¦ 3 carrots, chopped coarse
â—¦ 3 celery ribs, chopped coarse
â—¦ 1 lemon, quartered
â—¦ 2 sprigs fresh thyme
â—¦ 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
â—¦ 1 (18- to 22-pound) turkey, neck and giblets removed and reserved for gravy, if desired
â—¦ 1 cup water, plus more as needed
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon pepper


Recipe

Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Line large V-rack with heavy-duty foil and poke several holes in foil. Set V-rack in large roasting pan and spray foil with vegetable oil spray.

Toss half of onions, carrots, celery, lemon, and thyme with 1 tablespoon melted butter in medium bowl and place inside turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wings behind back. Scatter remaining vegetables into roasting pan.

Pour 1 cup water over vegetable mixture. Brush turkey breast with 2 tablespoons melted butter, then sprinkle with half of salt and half of pepper. Place turkey, breast side down, on V-rack. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.

Roast turkey for 1 hour.
Remove pan from oven; baste with juices from pan. Using dish towel or 2 large wads of paper towels, rotate turkey breast side up. If liquid in pan has totally evaporated, add another ½ cup water. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. Return turkey to oven and continue to roast until breast registers 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, about 2 hours longer.

Remove turkey from oven. Gently tip turkey so that any accumulated juices in cavity run into roasting pan. Transfer turkey to carving board. Let rest, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes. Carve turkey and serve.

Serves 20 to 24