Recipes: How to make a delicious herbed roast turkey for Thanksgiving

I’m no stranger to roasting turkeys. I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner at 21, and in the decades to follow, I’ve tried just about every imaginable technique for cooking that holiday bird. Well, I never deep fried it, but year after year, I’ve done my share of experimenting, from brining to spatchcocking.  I’ve roasted it upside down and right side up, some stuffed, others unstuffed. Yes, I have done my share of turkey rubbing, soaking, and injecting.
America’s Test Kitchen has done its share of turkey testing, too. One of its methods that I most enjoy involves a few hours of salt-water soaking followed by building aromatic flavors throughout the bird with a tasty paste. The paste-like mix teams a combination of fresh herbs with lemon zest, minced shallots and garlic, plus a little Dijon mustard and olive oil. Once whirled in the food processor, part of the mixture is rubbed under the skin of the turkey’s breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, an uncomplicated process if you first remove any large cocktail rings and don’t have long, pointy fingernails.
The next step is somewhat surprising, but it adds a lot of flavors to the white meat. Using a sharp paring knife, a smallish slit is cut into each breast, about 1 1/2-inches deep. An expansive pocket is created by sweeping the blade’s tip back and forth. A tablespoon of the paste is added to each pocket. Initially, I was concerned that cutting the skin, even a little, might cause the meat to dry out. But it doesn’t. Overcooking, heaven forbid, is what could dry it out.
Additional paste is divided between the cavity and exterior of the turkey, and I sometimes save a 1/2 teaspoon to add to the gravy.
This herb roast turkey is delicious served with a mashed potato concoction that pairs the spuds with parsnips. The flavors are beguiling.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Brine:
2 cups table salt, see cook’s notes
2 gallons cold water
One 12- to 14-pound turkey, rinsed thoroughly with cold water, giblets and neck reserved for gravy (if using), tailpiece removed; see cook’s notes for larger turkey instructions
Herb Paste:
1 1/4 cups chopped fresh parsley leaves (roughly chopped)
4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (roughly chopped)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
3/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest, from 1 lemon
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
Equipment: roasting pan and a V-rack, heavy duty aluminum foil, instant-read thermometer, sharp paring knife, large pot if brining
Cook’s notes: If you buy a turkey that has been injected with saline, such as a Butterball turkey, reduce the amount of salt in the brine to 1 cup. Or, if you are salt sensitive, omit the brining process.
If roasting a 14- to 18-pound bird, increase all of the ingredients for the herb paste (except the black pepper) by 50%; follow the instructions for applying the paste under the skin, in the breast pockets, and in the cavity; use the remaining paste on the skin. Increase the second half of the roasting time (breast side up) to 1 hour, 15 minutes.
Is it done at 165 degrees? Here is what the Butterball Turkey Site says: “Only by using a food thermometer can one accurately determine that poultry has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees throughout the product. Turkey can remain pink even after cooking to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees.
For the wet brine, dissolve salt in 2 gallons cold water in large stockpot. Add turkey and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours. (I consider this optional, especially if I’m roasting a turkey that has been injected with a saline solution — see cook’s notes.)
Remove turkey from brine and rinse under cool running water. Pat it dry inside and out with paper towels. Place turkey breast side up on flat wire rack set over rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and refrigerate, uncovered, 30 minutes.
For the herb paste: Process parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, shallot, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in food processor until consistency of coarse paste, about 10 2-second pulses. Add mustard and olive oil; continue to process until mixture forms smooth paste, about ten to twelve 2-second pulses; scrape sides of processor bowl with rubber spatula after 5 pulses. Transfer mixture to small bowl.
For the turkey: Adjust oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 400 degrees. Line large V-rack with heavy-duty foil and use paring knife or skewer to poke 20 to 30 holes in foil; set V-rack in large roasting pan. Remove turkey from refrigerator and wipe away any water; set turkey breast side up on a dry rimmed baking sheet. Tuck wings behind back and tuck tips of drumsticks into skin at tail to secure.
Using hands, carefully loosen skin from meat of breasts, thighs, and drumsticks. Using spoon, slip 1 1/2 tablespoons paste under breast skin on each side of turkey. Using fingers, distribute paste under skin over breast, thigh, and drumstick meat.
Using sharp paring knife, cut 1 1/2-inch vertical slit into thickest part of each breast. Starting from top of incision, swing knife tip down to create am4- to 5-inch pocket within flesh. Place 1 tablespoon paste in pocket of each breast; using fingers, rub in thin, even layer.
Rub 1 tablespoon paste inside turkey cavity. Rotate turkey breast side down; apply half remaining herb paste to turkey skin; flip turkey breast side up and apply remaining herb paste to skin, pressing and patting to make paste adhere; reapply herb paste that falls onto baking sheet.
To roast turkey: Place turkey breast side down on prepared V-rack in roasting pan. Roast 45 minutes.
Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven (close oven door to retain oven heat). Using clean potholders (or 2 thick wads of paper towels), rotate turkey breast side up. Continue to roast until thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 50 to 65 minutes longer. Confirm temperature by inserting an instant-read thermometer in both sides of bird (see cook’s notes). Transfer turkey to carving board; let rest 30 minutes. Carve turkey and serve. Yield: 10 servings
My mother made delicious turkey gravy. She used a pureed slurry made of broth and flour, and somehow turned it into a luscious mix. Although the technique worked for her, for me this formula from cookbook author’s Rick Rodgers is foolproof. Almost as good as my childhood palate memories.
Parsnips add a delightful note to mashed potatoes. Yes, they look like frumpy carrots, the skin’s hue a drab tan or pale yellow, the flesh watered-down beige. They may not be lookers, but they are an irresistible blend of sweet carrot and herbaceous parsley-like flavors. Look for firm parsnips that are about 8- to 10-inches long. Refrigerate dry and unwashed in crisper drawer in a plastic bag up to 3 weeks.  Wash before use; trim ends and peel with a swivel-bladed peeler.
Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, divided use
2 1/2 large yellow onions, halved, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried
6 parsnips, peeled, thickly sliced
4 large russet potatoes, peeled, thickly sliced
1 cup milk, heated
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until golden, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Mix in rosemary. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
2. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add parsnips and potatoes; boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well. Return vegetables to pot; mash. Add warm milk and 4 1/2 tablespoons butter; stir until smooth. Coarsely chop onions and stir into mixture, adding all the pan juices. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm over medium-high heat, stirring frequently and adding more milk if too dry.)
Source: Adapted from Bon Appétit magazine
Drippings from roast turkey
2 quarts canned chicken broth or homemade turkey broth; see cook’s notes
Melted butter, as needed
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Optional: 1/4 cup bourbon, port, or dry sherry
Salt to taste, if needed
Cook’s notes: To made turkey broth, place a quartered onion, a stalk of celery, a carrot, and the turkey neck and giblets in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Cover the mix with either 2 quarts chicken broth or water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low to maintain a very gentle simmer for 2 hours. Strain.
Remove turkey from roasting pan. Pour the drippings from the pan into a heatproof glass bowl or large measuring cup. Allow to stand 5 minutes. Skim off the clear yellow fat that has risen to the top. Measure 3/4 cup fat; add melted butter if needed to make the right amount.
Measure 8 cups of broth (you may not need it all). Place roasting pan on two stove burners over low heat and add 3/4 cup fat. Whisk in flour, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 6 cups of broth, adding it gradually, and bourbon if using. Cook, whisking constantly on medium heat until gravy has thickened, and no trace of raw flour taste remains, about 5 to 6 minutes. If gravy is too thick, stir in more broth and continue to cook. Taste. Add salt if needed. Yield: 10 servings
Source: “Thanksgiving 101” by Rick Rodgers
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at CathyThomas Cooks.com.