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Home > posts > 2021 > 12 > 2021-12-31_Turkey_and_Sides.html

Turkey and Sides Friday, December 31, 2021, 05:14 PM

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Turkey

I have been wanting to make a turkey for a while and especially with Brooke and Nathan visiting, I had more turkey eaters! I bought an ~13 lbs turkey and spatchcocked then dry-brined it. I actually did this two days ago but didn't cover it since I thought we'd be cooking it the next day (oops).

I then used a fresh "poultry herbs" (sage, rosemary, thyme) and followed the butter instructions from Herb-Rubbed Crisp-Skinned Butterflied Roast Turkey [Serious Eats]. I also added 3 or 4 cloves of fresh garlic to the butter.

I baked it at 465°F on our oven (so probably ~450°F nominally). I turned off the convection to keep some of the smoke down which was a mixed success. The thermometer was in a breast and when I took it out at 150°F, I probed all around and it was a tad too hot in the legs but on my last probe, I did the other breast and it wasn't enough!!! Ugh!

I moved the thermometer and put it back in for a while.

More or less, it wasn't too dry. Maybe a few places here or there but mostly moist. And pretty flavorful. Maybe not the most amazing one ever but pretty good! And the skin was super crispy!

Gravy

For the gravy, I followed the basic recipe from Recipe Tin Eats. At least as far as amounts. But I used chicken and vegetable better than boullion and went (too) heavy on it. Also, following Serious Eats, I added soy sauce and then I also did some Worcestershire sauce for extra umami. Well, it came out a tad salty and the Worcestershire was the dominant aroma (and, to a lesser extent, flavor). Not bad by any means but not idea. I wouldn't do that again.

But this gravy did work a lot better than last year's.

I also roasted brussel sprouts.