Make-Ahead Herb Roasted Turkey

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Make-Ahead Herb Roasted Turkey

Yield: 8

Author: Madeline King

The Ultimate Problem, Solved: By the time you’ve let the bird rest, carved it, and plated it, you may well be serving turkey slices that are cold or dully warm. They may *need* a ton of hot gravy just to be delicious. Don’t do that!I suggest below a way to carve, plate, and sauce the platter so it’s ready to take up just a skinny slice of oven. (Yes, you can already have the pies going, if the temperature is a match.) Then you serve the bird in a bath of gravy with more gravy on the side. The technique helps it stay moist and all sorts of delicious.

Ingredients

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. minced fresh thyme leaves
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 (12- to 14-pound) Misty Knoll Farms Turkey thawed
• 1 large yellow onion, unpeeled and cut into eighths
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 Tbs Vermont Creamery Cultured Unsalted Butter, melted
• Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy with Onions and Sage (recipe on our website)

Instructions

Three days before you plan to roast the turkey

1. Combine 3 Tbs. of salt, minced thyme and lemon zest. Pat turkey all over with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 Tbs. of the salt mixture in the cavity of the turkey and rub the rest on the skin, including under the wings and legs. Place the turkey in a shallow dish just large enough to hold it and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

The next day (day 2)

1. Remove the plastic wrap and leave the turkey in the fridge. The skin will dry out and turn a little translucent.

Day 3 (Day of cooking - Thanksgiving morning)

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°F). Put the turkey in a large roasting pan, discarding any juices in the dish. Place the onion, lemon and thyme sprigs in the cavity. With kitchen string, tie the legs together and the wings close to the body. Brush the turkey with the butter and sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper.
2. Roast the turkey for 2 to 2 1/4 hours, until the breast meat registers 165°F (74°C) (put the thermometer in sideways) on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven and place the turkey on a platter. Cut off the legs and thighs and put them back into the roasting pan, covering the breast and carcass tightly with aluminum foil.
3. Place the roasting pan back in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the dark meat registers 180°F (82°C). Remove the dark meat to the platter with the turkey, cover it tightly with aluminum foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. After the turkey is roasted (white and dark meat) cover loosely with foil and let sit for 1 hour before refrigerating. (Refrigerate whole pieces, do not slice yet.)

To Serve

1. You can reheat the turkey slices at any temperature between 300 – 400 degrees, which gives you flexibility if your oven is also in use for other dishes.
2. Preheat oven to desired temperature. Pour a 1/4-inch layer of the gravy into a large (12 x 16-inch) ovenproof serving platter (make sure it’s ovenproof!) Slice the turkey and arrange it artfully on top of the gravy. Place the platter uncovered into the oven for 15 to 30 minutes, until the turkey is hot. Serve with extra gravy on the side.

Notes

Preparation time: 3 days with thawing