Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

from Your Favorite Chefs

Brought to you by The Recipe Club

RECIPE INDEX

Tom Colicchios Herb-Butter Turkey

from The Epicurious Cookbook by Tanya Steel and

the Editors of Epicurious

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

from Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That?

Deep Fried Turkey

from Michael Symons Carnivore

Deconstructed Turkey

from In My Kitchen by Ted Allen

Perfect Roast Turkey

from Martha Stewarts Cooking School

Tom Colicchios Herb-Butter

Turkey (page 260)

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tom colicchios herb-butter turkey

Basic but brilliant is an apt description for this never-fail Thanksgiving turkey from acclaimed
restaurant-owner and Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio. His secret is to use a moisture-ensuring
butter that is rubbed under the turkey skin; Toms is speckled with rosemary, sage, tarragon, and
thyme, but use herbs of your choosing to put a personal stamp on this dynamite bird. With its
simple and traditional flavor notes, this turkey can be paired with a variety of stuffings, though
were partial to our New England Sausage, Apple, and Dried Cranberry Stuffing (page 262).
Yield: Makes 8 servings

For Gravy Base

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds turkey necks and/or wings
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced peeled carrots
1 cup diced celery
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, or more
as needed
For Turkey
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room
temperature
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, plus
15 fresh thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon,
plus 5 large fresh tarragon sprigs
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, plus
5 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage, plus
5 fresh sage sprigs
1 (14- to 16-pound) turkey
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
cup all purpose flour

do ahead:
The Gravy base can be prepared
2days ahead. Cool slightly.
Refrigerate uncovered until cold,
then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm
before using.

Make Gravy Base

Melt the butter in a heavy large deep skillet over high

heat. Add the turkey necks and/or wings and saut until
deep brown, about 15 minutes. Add the onions, carrots,
and celery and saut until vegetables are deep brown,
about 15 minutes. Add the 6 cups chicken broth and bring
to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer
uncovered 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

1.

Pour the gravy base through a strainer set over a 4-cup

measuring cup, pressing on the solids to extract liquid. If
necessary, add enough more chicken broth to gravy base
to measure 4 cups.

2.

Make Turkey

Mix cup butter and all the minced herbs in a small

bowl; season the herb butter with salt and pepper. Transfer 2 generous tablespoons to another small bowl and
reserve for gravy; let stand at room temperature.

1.

Set a rack at lowest position in the oven and preheat the

oven to 425F. Rinse the turkey inside and out; pat dry.
Starting at the neck end, slide your hand between the skin
and the breast meat to loosen the skin. Rub 4 tablespoons
of herb butter over the breast meat under the skin. Place
the turkey on a rack set into a large roasting pan. Sprinkle
the main cavity generously with salt and pepper. Place
4 tablespoons of plain butter and all the herb sprigs in the
main cavity. Tuck the wing tips under. Tie the legs
together loosely. Rub the 2 tablespoons remaining herb

2.

260 the epicurious cookbook

Recipe from The Epicurious Cookbook by Tanya Steel and the Editors of Epicurious

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butter over the outside of the turkey. Sprinkle the turkey

generously with salt and pepper.
3. Place the turkey in the oven and roast 20 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350F. Roast 30 minutes
more, then pour 1 cup broth over and add 1 tablespoon
plain butter to the roasting pan. Roast 30 minutes more;
baste with pan juices, then pour another 1 cup broth over
and add another 1 tablespoon butter to pan. Cover the
turkey loosely with foil. Roast until a thermometer
inserted into thickest part of the thigh registers 175F,
basting with pan juices and adding 1 cup broth and
1 tablespoon butter to pan every 45 minutes, about 1 hour
45 minutes longer. Transfer the turkey to a platter; let
stand 30 minutes (internal temperature will rise 5 to
10 degrees).

I did add a lemon to the cavity and

some lemon zest to the herb butter.
The result was a beautifully
browned, moist bird with the most
delicious gravy we have ever had.
A cook, Fairport, New York

Strain the pan juices into a bowl; whisk in the gravy

base. Melt the reserved 2 tablespoons herb butter in a
heavy large saucepan over medium heat; add the flour and
whisk constantly until the roux is golden brown, about
6 minutes. Gradually add the pan juicegravy base mixture;
increase the heat and whisk constantly until gravy thickens, boils, and is smooth. Reduce the heat to medium; boil
gently until gravy is reduced to 4 cups, whisking often,
about 10 minutes. Season the gravy with salt and pepper
and serve with the turkey.

4.

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of_1

herb-roasted turkey breast

Serv e s 6 to 8

Why do we only serve turkey on Thanksgiving? A whole turkey breast roasted

with fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme is a great weeknight dinner and the leftovers
make delicious sandwiches the next day. Roasting the turkey at 325 degrees and
allowing it to rest for fifteen minutes ensures that it will be very moist.

1 whole bone-in turkey breast (6 to 7 pounds)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoons kosher salt

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

cup dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the turkey breast on a rack
in a roasting pan, skin side up.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, mustard,
rosemary, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture evenly all
over the skin of the turkey breast. (You can also loosen the skin and
smear half of the paste underneath, directly on the meat.) Pour the
wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.
Roast the turkey for 1 to 1 hours, until the skin is golden brown
and an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 degrees when
inserted into the thickest and meatiest area of the breast. Check the
breast after an hour or so; if the skin is overbrowning, cover it
loosely with aluminum foil.
When the turkey is done, remove from the oven, cover the pan
with aluminum foil, and allow the turkey to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve warm with the pan juices.
dinner

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Recipe from Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? by Ina Garten

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Serves

DEEP-FRIED TURKEY
When it comes to Thanksgiving turkey, I have to admit that Im usually a traditionalist. But that
doesnt mean I dont like to mix it up occasionally. And when I do, theres nothing better than a
crispy deep-fried bird. While deep-frying a whole turkey requires more than a little caution, the
results include ridiculously crunchy skin and moist, avorful meat. Better yet, the birds done in
a fraction of the time of roasting!

1 (10-pound) turkey

1 Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and pat it dry. Mix to com-

14

cup chopped fresh sage

14

cup kosher salt

bine the sage, salt, coriander, garlic powder, paprika, chipotle powder, celery
seeds, and cumin. Rub this mixture all over the turkey, inside and out. Cover
the turkey and refrigerate overnight to let the seasonings penetrate the meat.

1 tablespoon coriander seeds,

toasted and ground

2 The following day, remove the turkey from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before cooking. Thoroughly pat the turkey dry, making sure to get into
the cavity with a towel to soak up as much moisture as possible. (Water
splatters in the deep fryer!)

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chipotle powder
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds,
toasted and ground

3 Set up the turkey-fryer outside, on a heatproof surface that you dont mind
splattering and away from any structures. Pour in peanut oil up to the maximum ll line. Heat the oil to 350F.

3 to 5 gallons peanut oil,

depending upon your fryer

4 Very slowly and carefully lower the turkey into the oil, making sure it is

completely submerged. Fry the turkey for 30 to 35 minutes. Carefully

remove to a roasting-rack-lined baking sheet to allow the bird to drain and
rest for about 10 minutes.
5 Carve and serve with your favorite Thanksgiving sides and salads.

172

MICHAEL SYMONS CARNIVORE

Recipe from Michael Symon's Carnivore by Michael Symon

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t
a
e
n

y
r
.

o
r

d
-

s
y
d

FRYING
They say you can deep-fry an old shoe and it will taste good. While I
doubt thats true, I do believe that almost everything else tastes better when properly fried in fat. Granted, its not the healthiest way to
cook, but can we agree that it is one of the most delicious? If you fry
in moderation (so, no, not every day, I am sorry to say), I think you can
indulge a bit.
I do almost all of my frying in naturally rendered animal fatspork
lard being my favorite, but also beef tallow and duck fat. First of all, they
produce a tastier nal result; nothing tops a potato fried in lard! But
they also have a higher smoke point than many other fats, which means
you can fry foods at the ideal temperature of 365 to 370F without
fear of the oil burning. This gives you crispy, grease-free food.
There are two main types of frying: deep and shallow. When deepfrying, you want enough fat to fully cover the food, approximately four
times the amount of whats going in. The large amount not only allows for
even cooking all around the food, but also maintains a more consistent
temperature when the food is added. Once added to the oil, the food
should not be on top of another piece. Pay close attention until the food
becomes deep golden brown. If cooked properly, fried items shouldnt
even need to be drained on paper towels. But do immediately season
the food as soon as it comes out of the fryer.
With shallow-frying, the fat should come about halfway up the sides
of the food being fried. Done right, shallow-frying leaves foods like
chicken wings just as crunchy as deep-frying, but using a fraction of
the fat. This method is also much quicker than deep frying because you
dont have to wait for a whole pot of oil to heat up. (Not to mention the
matter of storing the used oil.) But because there is less oil, its best to
fry the food in batches so you dont crowd the pan. When one side is
golden brown, ip the ingredient. As with deep-frying, its important
to season the food as soon as its pulled from the pan.

POULTRY

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Recipe from Michael Symon's Carnivore by Michael Symon

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main courses

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a modern thanksgiving table

The classics, with tasty and

decadent twists

Deconstructed Turkey
w i t h S age Gr av y

makes 8 to 12 servings

ah, the holidays, when millions of people who never cook at all suddenly decide
they should feed seventeen dishes to twenty-seven peopleand that the focal point of
the meal should be an enormous, odd-shaped bird they bought frozen solid. Theres
a reason we need an 800 number for talking turkey novices off the ledgeinevitably
because they didnt thaw the thing properly, and didnt notice until showtime. Well,
heres my solution: buy and cook your turkey in parts; that is, buy a bone-in breast,
and as many drumsticks as you like.
There are plenty of reasons. A whole bird takes a week to thaw in the fridge,
consuming an enormous amount of space when you need it most; parts, if frozen
at all, thaw much faster. Because breast meat cooks faster than dark meat, having
them detached from each other presents an obvious advantage: the breast will not be
hideously overcooked and dry by the time the legs are ready. Theres also no trussing,
no stuffing, and your carving job is halfway done. You can respond to your familys
preferences for more dark meat, more white meat, or none of either, as you wish.
Finally, you can tell the children that this turkey had three legs.

turkey

gravy

cup kosher salt

cup honey

cup celery leaves (from

1 bunch)

1 head of garlic, cut in half

(do not peel)

1 (6- to 7-pound) bone-in

turkey breast

2 bay leaves

3 turkey drumsticks (about

2 pounds total)

4 sprigs fresh thyme

4 large sprigs fresh sage,
plus more for garnish
2 teaspoons black
peppercorns

2 turkey thighs (about

1 pounds total)
3 tablespoons unsalted
butter, melted

2 teaspoons allspice berries

148

2 to 3 cups chicken stock,

preferably homemade
(page 173), or low-sodium
store-bought
4 tablespoons ( stick)
unsalted butter
cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped sage
leaves
Kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepper

in my kitchen

Recipe from In My Kitchen by Ted Allen

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You can brine the

turkey as specified
here, or you can
skip that step
and just rub the
pieces with butter,
salt, pepper, and
herbs. But I highly
recommend the
salt bath; brining
is the best thing
ever to happen to
turkey, producing
moist meat thats
seasoned through
and through.

1 Brine the turkey: Pour 1 cup water into a small saucepan,

add the salt and honey, and heat over high heat, stirring
until dissolved. Remove from the heat, add the garlic, bay
leaves, thyme, 2 of the sage sprigs, the peppercorns,
allspice, and celery leaves, and let steep for a few minutes.
Transfer to a 4-quart container and add a cup of ice
cubes and 2 quarts cold water, bringing the volume to
3 quarts.
2 Rinse the turkey parts, place in doubled 2-gallon
resealable plastic bags (or a large stockpot), and pour in
the brine. Press out any air, close the bags, and place in a
large bowl or other container to protect against leaks.
Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
3 To roast the turkey, arrange racks in the upper and lower
thirds of the oven, and preheat the oven to 425F.
4 Remove the turkey parts from the brine, pat dry with
paper towels, and arrange, skin side up, on racks set in
2 medium roasting pans (be sure to leave space between
the parts for air circulation). Pour 1 cup water into each
pan. Drizzle the turkey parts with the melted butter.
Pick the leaves from the remaining 2 sage sprigs, and
scatter the leaves over the turkey. Put 1 pan on each oven
rack and roast the turkey until its beginning to brown,
about 30 minutes.
5 Reduce the oven temperature to 400F, switch the
position of the pans, and rotate each pan 180 degrees.
Continue roasting for 15 minutes, then check the
temperature of the legs with an instant-read
thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat;
at 165F, theyre done. Check the breast, too; depending
on the size differential, it could be done, or may need
anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes more. Legs should take
1 hours, and bone-in breast 2 to 3 hours. As they are
ready, transfer the turkey parts to a platter and tent
with foil.
(recipe continues)

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Recipe from In My Kitchen by Ted Allen

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After the gravy has

thickened, reduce
the heat to low to
keep the gravy
warm while you
carve the turkey.

6 Make the gravy: Pour the pan juices into a 4-cup glass
measuring cup, let stand until the fat rises to the top, 2 to
3 minutes, then skim off and discard the fat.
7 Set 1 roasting pan across 2 burners, add 2 cups chicken
stock, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat,
scraping up any browned bits. Add the simmering stock
to the pan juices in the measuring cup, then add additional
chicken stock, if needed, to equal 4 cups liquid.
8 In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the
butter, then whisk in the flour, and cook, whisking
constantly, until smooth, approximately 2 minutes.
Gradually whisk in the stock mixture and any collected
juices from the platter holding the turkey, then raise the
heat to medium-high and boil, uncovered, until the
gravy is thickened, about 8 minutes.
9 Add the chopped sage, and season the gravy with salt and
pepper. Carve turkey pieces and garnish with sage sprigs;
serve with the gravy.

150

in my kitchen

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meat, fish & poultry

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149

How to Roast

perfect roast turkey

Serves 12 to 14

Its a safe bet that every cook will be called upon to roast a turkey at some point
in his or her life. Since its usually a once-a-year endeavor, theres not much
room for practice. Instead, rely on proven methods and plan carefully. This is one
instance where making sure you have the right equipment (a pot large enough
to hold the brining turkey, plus a spot in the refrigerator to place it; a heavy
roasting pan; cheesecloth for basting the bird as it cooks; and an instant-read
thermometer) and sufficient time (a day for brining and then at least 5 hours
for bringing the bird to room temperature and cooking it) is crucial. Also, take
care of as much as possible in advance, such as preparing the stuffing the day
before and refrigerating it overnight, while the turkey is brining. Then it will be
much easier when the time comes to focus on the task at hand: roasting the
perfect turkey.
Brining the meat ensures that the turkey will be tender and juicy. The brining
solution contains aromatics for more flavor, but you could forgo those and simply
use a mixture of salt, sugar, and water. For food safety reasons, its essential that
you let the brine cool completely before adding the turkey. Before being put in the
oven, the brined bird should sit at room temperature for 2hours; once its out
of the oven, let it rest for 20 minutes. For a moister bird, cook to 165F; when taking the temperature, remember that the roast will continue to cook after being
removed from the oven.
One more safety note: Never stuff a turkey ahead of time. Warm stuffing should
not be put into a turkey until just before roasting. If the stuffing contains warm
ingredients, such as sauted onions or celery, get it into the bird and into the oven
as soon as possible. Chilling warm stuffing before cooking it in a turkey is not as
safe because the stuffing will, through cooling and heating, spend too much time
at temperatures at which bacteria thrive (between 40 and 140F).
For brine

6 quarts water
1 cups coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
1 cup sugar
3 medium onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 leeks, white and pale-green parts only, coarsely chopped and washed well (page 32)
3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
3 dried bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
For turkey

1 fresh whole turkey (18 to 20 pounds), rinsed and patted dry, giblets
and neck reserved for gravy
cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus cup ( stick),
room temperature

1 cups dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
chestnut stuffing (page 156)

Ingredients

A fresh turkey is preferable to a frozen

one, but if you have to resort to frozen,
heres how to defrost it properly: Leave
it in its original wrapper, and place it
breast side up on a rimmed baking sheet
(to catch any juices) in the refrigerator.
Be sure to plan ahead. Allow 1 day of
thawing per 4 pounds of turkey.

meat, fish & poultry

148

149

How to Roast

perfect roast turkey

Serves 12 to 14

Its a safe bet that every cook will be called upon to roast a turkey at some point
in his or her life. Since its usually a once-a-year endeavor, theres not much
room for practice. Instead, rely on proven methods and plan carefully. This is one
instance where making sure you have the right equipment (a pot large enough
to hold the brining turkey, plus a spot in the refrigerator to place it; a heavy
roasting pan; cheesecloth for basting the bird as it cooks; and an instant-read
thermometer) and sufficient time (a day for brining and then at least 5 hours
for bringing the bird to room temperature and cooking it) is crucial. Also, take
care of as much as possible in advance, such as preparing the stuffing the day
before and refrigerating it overnight, while the turkey is brining. Then it will be
much easier when the time comes to focus on the task at hand: roasting the
perfect turkey.
Brining the meat ensures that the turkey will be tender and juicy. The brining
solution contains aromatics for more flavor, but you could forgo those and simply
use a mixture of salt, sugar, and water. For food safety reasons, its essential that
you let the brine cool completely before adding the turkey. Before being put in the
oven, the brined bird should sit at room temperature for 2hours; once its out
of the oven, let it rest for 20 minutes. For a moister bird, cook to 165F; when taking the temperature, remember that the roast will continue to cook after being
removed from the oven.
One more safety note: Never stuff a turkey ahead of time. Warm stuffing should
not be put into a turkey until just before roasting. If the stuffing contains warm
ingredients, such as sauted onions or celery, get it into the bird and into the oven
as soon as possible. Chilling warm stuffing before cooking it in a turkey is not as
safe because the stuffing will, through cooling and heating, spend too much time
at temperatures at which bacteria thrive (between 40 and 140F).
Ingredients

For brine

6 quarts water
1 cups coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
1 cup sugar
3 medium onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 leeks, white and pale-green parts only, coarsely chopped and washed well (page 32)
3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
3 dried bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

A fresh turkey is preferable to a frozen

one, but if you have to resort to frozen,
heres how to defrost it properly: Leave
it in its original wrapper, and place it
breast side up on a rimmed baking sheet
(to catch any juices) in the refrigerator.
Be sure to plan ahead. Allow 1 day of
thawing per 4 pounds of turkey.

For turkey

1 fresh whole turkey (18 to 20 pounds), rinsed and patted dry, giblets
and neck reserved for gravy
cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus cup ( stick),
room temperature

1 cups dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
chestnut stuffing (page 156)
Recipe from Martha Stewart's Cooking School by Martha Stewart

meat, fish & poultry

150

How to Roast

For garnish

lady apples, fresh sage leaves, and whole chestnuts (optional)

For serving

perfect gravy (page 154; optional)

Prepare brine Combine 2 quarts of the water with remaining brine
ingredients in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring until salt and
sugar have dissolved completely. Transfer to a large pot (at least 5-gallon
capacity) and add remaining 4 quarts water. Let cool completely.
Brine turkey Lower turkey, breast first, into the brine. Cover and refrigerate
24 hours. Remove from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room
temperature for 2 hours. Meanwhile, heat oven to 425F with rack in lowest
position.
Prepare cheesecloth Stir together melted butter and wine in a medium bowl.

Fold a very large piece of cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to
cover breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture
[1] and let soak.
Stuff turkey Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a large roasting pan.
Fold wing tips under [2] and season cavity with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper,
then fill loosely with stuffing [3]. Tie legs together with kitchen twine [4]. Fill
neck cavity loosely with stuffing, and fold neck flap under, securing with toothpicks. Pat turkey dry and rub all over with softened butter [5] and generously
season with salt and pepper.
Roast Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently over bowl
to remove excess liquid. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth
over turkey [6]. Place turkey, legs first, in oven and roast 30 minutes, then brush
cheesecloth and exposed turkey parts with butter mixture and reduce temperature to 350F. Continue roasting, brushing every 30 minutes, for 1 hours
more (tent with foil if browning too quickly). Discard cheesecloth and rotate
pan. Baste turkey with pan juices and continue to roast, rotating pan halfway
through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted
into the thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 165F. This will take 1 to
2 hours more (start taking temperature after 2 hours total cooking time).
Serve Transfer turkey to a platter and garnish with apples, sage, and chestnuts,

if desired. Set pan with drippings aside for making gravy, if desired. Let turkey
stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes before carving (see instructions
on pages 152153).

Recipe from Martha Stewart's Cooking School by Martha Stewart

Perfect Roast Turkey, Step by Step

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meat, fish & poultry

150

How to Roast

For garnish

lady apples, fresh sage leaves, and whole chestnuts (optional)

Perfect Roast Turkey, Step by Step

For serving

perfect gravy (page 154; optional)

Prepare brine Combine 2 quarts of the water with remaining brine
ingredients in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring until salt and
sugar have dissolved completely. Transfer to a large pot (at least 5-gallon
capacity) and add remaining 4 quarts water. Let cool completely.
Brine turkey Lower turkey, breast first, into the brine. Cover and refrigerate
24 hours. Remove from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room
temperature for 2 hours. Meanwhile, heat oven to 425F with rack in lowest
position.
Prepare cheesecloth Stir together melted butter and wine in a medium bowl.

Fold a very large piece of cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to
cover breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture
[1] and let soak.
Stuff turkey Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a large roasting pan.
Fold wing tips under [2] and season cavity with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper,
then fill loosely with stuffing [3]. Tie legs together with kitchen twine [4]. Fill
neck cavity loosely with stuffing, and fold neck flap under, securing with toothpicks. Pat turkey dry and rub all over with softened butter [5] and generously
season with salt and pepper.
Roast Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently over bowl
to remove excess liquid. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth
over turkey [6]. Place turkey, legs first, in oven and roast 30 minutes, then brush
cheesecloth and exposed turkey parts with butter mixture and reduce temperature to 350F. Continue roasting, brushing every 30 minutes, for 1 hours
more (tent with foil if browning too quickly). Discard cheesecloth and rotate
pan. Baste turkey with pan juices and continue to roast, rotating pan halfway
through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted
into the thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 165F. This will take 1 to
2 hours more (start taking temperature after 2 hours total cooking time).
Serve Transfer turkey to a platter and garnish with apples, sage, and chestnuts,

if desired. Set pan with drippings aside for making gravy, if desired. Let turkey
stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes before carving (see instructions
on pages 152153).

Recipe from Martha Stewart's Cooking School by Martha Stewart

151