I found the recipe for this turkey in Food Network magazine (Nov. 2011), but I used AB’s cooking method from “Romancing the Bird.” It came out perfect on the first try and was moist and delicious.
Mix-and-Match Turkey
Author: Food Network Magazine
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- Turkey, thawed (mine was 14.5 pounds)
- ⅓ cup salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
- ½ tablespoon dried thyme
- ½ tablespoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- 1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Thaw turkey completely. Rinse turkey under cold water and pat dry.
- Place a double layer of foil over the turkey breast and press down to form a mold. Cut off excess foil so that the breast “plate” remains.
- Combine salt, sugar and 1 teaspoon pepper. Rub all over turkey and inside cavity. Put turkey on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 8 hours or overnight. (A dry bring is good is you are low on fridge space.)
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
- Remove turkey from refrigerator, rinse well with cold water, pat dry, and place in roasting pan.
- Make flavored butter: combine butter, parsley, thyme, sage, ½ teaspoon pepper, paprika, and ground cloves.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons butter, then rub the rest under turkey breast skin and on legs. Rub 1 tablespoon of the reserved butter on top of turkey breast skin; chill and save the rest of the butter for your gravy.
- Roast turkey on the lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. If available, insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast. Cover the turkey breast with pre-fitted foil, and reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2½ hours of roasting. {I cooked mine for 2 hours at 350}
- Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for at least 30 minutes before carving.
Nevermind! I found how you cooked it.
Sounds good!
My “secret” has been the oven bag. After the rub, of course. Perfect turkey every single time.