Best Roast Turkey
NOTE: We prefer
to roast small turkeys, no more than 14 pounds gross weight,
because they cook more evenly than large birds. (If you must cook a
large bird, see the variation.) If you prefer, double
the amount of salt in the brine and brine for just four hours. This
hurry-up brine works with large turkeys and turkeys destined to be
stuffed as well. Serves 10 to 12.
2 cups kosher salt or 1 cup table salt
1 turkey (12 to 14 pounds gross weight), rinsed thoroughly; giblets, neck, and tailpiece removed and reserved to make gravy
3 medium onions, chopped coarse
11/2 medium carrots, chopped coarse
11/2 celery stalks, chopped coarse
6 thyme sprigs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Dissolve salt in 2 gallons of cold water in large stockpot or clean bucket. Add turkey and refrigerate or set in very cool (40 degrees or less) spot for 12 hours.
2. Remove turkey from salt water and rinse both cavities and skin under cool running water for several minutes until all traces of salt are gone. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss one-third of onion, carrot, celery, and thyme with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and place this mixture in body cavity. Bring turkey legs together and perform a simple truss (see figures 1–3).
3. Scatter remaining vegetables and thyme over a shallow roasting pan. Pour 1 cup water over vegetables. Set V-rack in pan. Brush entire breast side of turkey with half of remaining butter, then place turkey, breast side down, on V-rack. Brush entire backside of turkey with remaining butter.
4. Roast for 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven (close oven door); baste. With wad of paper toweling in each hand, turn turkey, leg/thigh side up. If liquid in pan has totally evaporated, add additional 1/2 cup water. Return turkey to oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove turkey from oven again, baste, and again use paper toweling to turn other leg/thigh side up; roast for another 15 minutes. Remove turkey from oven for final time, baste, and turn it breast side up; roast until breast registers about 165 degrees and thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 45 minutes (see figures 4 and 5). Remove turkey from pan and let rest until ready to carve. Serve with gravy.
VARIATION:
Large Roast Turkey
Smaller turkeys cook faster and are generally more tender, but sometimes you need a bigger bird for a large holiday crowd. By tinkering with our original recipe, we were able to produce a beautiful large turkey without sacrificing juiciness and flavor. When roasting a large turkey, it's not necessary to roast bird on each side. Serves 18 to 20.
Follow recipe for Best Roast Turkey, roasting 18-to 20-pound turkey breast side down in 250-degree oven for 3 hours, basting every hour. Then turn breast side up and roast another hour, basting once or twice. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees and roast until done, about 1 hour longer.