Crispy Skinned Herb Roasted Turkey Recipes

CRISPY-SKINNED HERB-ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Two days before roasting, rinse, clean and dry the turkey thoroughly. In a food processor, pulse 2 tablespoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the granulated garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and orange zest until uniform but still coarse, about 10 times. Rub the inside of the turkey with the salt mix, then carefully slip your fingers under the breast skin and rub a liberal amount under the skin. Flip the turkey on its side and sprinkle more of the salt mixture on the thigh, wing and leg. Repeat on the other side.
• Place the bird in a large zip-top bag or brining bag. (If neither is available, cover with plastic wrap.) Place the bird breast-side up on a wire rack on a sheet pan and then place in the fridge away from any raw food (on a lower shelf). Leave in the fridge for 2 days.
• The night before cooking, remove the turkey from the fridge and take it out of the plastic. The skin should be mostly dry and the salt should be dissolved; if any large patches of moisture are present, wipe with paper towels. Place back in the fridge, uncovered, for another 8 hours to dry out completely.
• On the day of, take the turkey out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Fit a roasting pan with a wire V-rack. Put the turkey on the rack and brush with one-quarter of the melted butter. Roast 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to 325° and continue roasting, basting occasionally with the remaining melted butter, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about another 2 hours. Let the turkey rest 30 to 45 minutes before carving.
• 5. "This turkey is the perfect blend of moist, seasoned meat and crisp skin. It's the best darned thing I've ever made."
• Special equipment:
• ACTIVE: 30 min TOTAL: 3 hr (plus 2- to 3-day brining and refrigerating) SERVES: 10 to 12

HERB-ROASTED HERITAGE TURKEY

Steps:

• Turkey:Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack on bottom. Mash together butter, grated zests, minced sage and thyme, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pat turkey dry. Loosen skin of breast and thighs; rub herb mixture under skin. Season inside cavity and outside with salt.
• Fill cavity and neck end lightly with stuffing. Transfer remaining stuffing to a 1-quart baking dish; cover with parchment-lined foil. Tie legs and tuck wing tips under. Transfer to a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Bring wine, orange juice, orange-zest strips, whole sage and thyme sprigs, and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Dampen a piece of cheesecloth with wine mixture; drape over turkey. Pour remaining liquid into roasting pan.
• Roast turkey 30 minutes; baste with pan juices. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and roast 30 minutes more. Remove cheesecloth; baste. Continue roasting, basting bird and rotating pan every 30 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 150 degrees to 155 degrees (for a conventional turkey, 165 degrees), about 1 hour, 30 minutes more, adding water to pan as needed to prevent scorching (if bird is browning too quickly, tent with foil). Transfer turkey to a platter; let stand 45 minutes. Reserve pan with drippings for gravy.
• Meanwhile, bake remaining stuffing 25 minutes. Uncover; bake until heated through and crunchy on top, about 20 minutes more. Carve turkey and serve, topped with more sage and thyme sprigs.
• Gravy:While turkey is resting, pour pan drippings into a fat separator; let stand until fat rises to surface. (Or use a large glass measuring cup and skim fat from top with a spoon.)
• Bring 1 1/2 cups stock to a boil in roasting pan over two burners, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Whisk together remaining 1 cup stock and flour; stir into pan. Boil until thickened and reduced, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in defatted pan juices; cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, in a gravy boat.

EASY HERB-ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Clean turkey (discard giblets and organs), and place in a roasting pan with a lid.
• In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic powder, dried basil, ground sage, salt, and black pepper. Using a basting brush, apply the mixture to the outside of the uncooked turkey. Pour water into the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover.
• Bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh measures 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove bird from oven, and allow to stand for about 30 minutes before carving.

JUICY HERB-ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Chop 8 sage leaves and leaves from 2 thyme sprigs. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup oil, garlic, salt and pepper with chopped herbs. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from turkey breast; rub mixture under skin. Secure skin to underside of breast with toothpicks., Cut onions into wedges and the celery, carrots and parsnips into 2-in. pieces. Place about a fifth of the onions, celery and carrots in the turkey cavity; add 4 sage sprigs and remaining 4 thyme sprigs to cavity. Arrange remaining vegetables evenly in a roasting pan. Place turkey, breast side up, over vegetables. Brush with remaining 1/4 cup oil., Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 170°-175°, 3 to 3-1/2 hours. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly. Cover and let stand 20 minutes before carving. Discard vegetables. If desired, use drippings to make gravy.

SPATCHCOCKED HERB-ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Place turkey with its breast side down and tail end facing you on a work surface. Using kitchen shears, cut along each side of backbone; remove and save for making gravy. Turn turkey over so breast side is up; flatten by pressing down firmly on breastbone until it cracks. Twist and tuck wings under to secure in place., Mix remaining ingredients; rub onto all sides of turkey. Transfer turkey to a rack in a foil-lined rimmed baking pan. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight., Preheat oven to 450°. Remove turkey from refrigerator while oven heats. Roast until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. Remove turkey from oven; let stand 15 minutes before carving.