A Roast Turkey Primer

Thanksgiving is here (Canadian Thanksgiving that is). That wonderful time of year when we eat a giant bird and a plate filled with carbs and gravy and declare ourselves thankful- for family, friends and of course giant plates of turkey, carbs, and gravy. Like all holidays, Thanksgiving can be stressful. The idea of feeding a crowd and having every dish miraculously finish at the same time can sometimes feel like culinary magic. In actuality, it just comes with practice and planning.

We are going to break down the quintessential aspects to a proper Thanksgiving dinner: turkey and gravy. Let’s start with turkey:

Turkey gets a bad rep. This is probably because it is all to easy to end up with a dry, stringy bird that needs to swim in gravy in order to be remotely edible. The issue is inherent in the bird itself. By the time the dark meat comes to 160F (what the FDA tells us is save for poultry), the breast meat is usually overcooked. There are many ways around this;, which is partly why there are a copious amount of turkey recipes. These include:

• deconstructing the bird and cooking the white and dark meat separately
• Flipping the bird upside down in the oven part way through cooking (something I do not suggest if you like to avoid singed arm hairs)
• spatchcocking your turkey and cooking it at a high heat
• Cooking the bird at a very low heat for a long time

The list goes on and on. Most of these techniques work. Most of them are a pain. At the end of the day, one can achieve almost perfection with a good brine, using an instant read thermometer, and letting the bird properly rest. It is that simple.

Let’s break those three steps down.

The brine: You an choose a wet brine, which means placing a turkey in a solution of salt, water, and usually sugar in a large container that takes up your entire fridge and requires 2-3 days of soaking. I have tried this. And then I discovered a dry brine and wondered why I ever thought a wet brine was a good idea for something as massive as a turkey. A dry brine is really a fancy way for salting your meat in advance and letting it rest. Do this at least the day before and leave it uncovered in the fridge. Your turkey will end up well flavoured and incredibly moist.

The thermometer: An instant read thermometer is a must. I use this thermometer and find it very effective for the price. Be sure to check early and often- piercing both the white and dark meat to ensure both are cooked but not overcooked.

Let your meat rest. A while. At least 30 minutes. This is actually helpful because it gives you time to ensure your sides are heated and ready to go.

There you are: a stress free bird that is moist and flavourful.

The perfect make-ahead gravy is coming soon!

Perfect Roast Turkey

Adapted slightly from Barefoot Contessa

1 turkey, 10-12 lbs
kosher salt
1 lemon, zested and juiced
freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunched fresh thyme
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 whole lemon, halved
1 onion, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise

Take the giblets out of the turkey and pat the turkey dry. Reserve the giblets for gravy. Combine 3 Tbsp of kosher salt, lemon zest, freshly ground black pepper and 1 tsp of thyme leaves. Liberally apply the salt mixture to the inside and exterior of the turkey, adding more salt if necessary to coat. Leave the turkey uncovered in the fridge for at least over night, and up to 3 days.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the juice of the lemon and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.

Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the breast and legs are 160F. Remove the turkey to a cutting board, and let rest for at least 30 minutes. Slice the turkey and serve.