Let's Talk Turkey

I was considering, in this 30 days of nothingness posts, that a recipe or two might be considered a post.
What better recipe to share this time of year then the roast turkey I swear by?

My husband has been the Tday guinea pig one time too many as I tried out recipes mild and recipes for the insane. There was the year that I took Martha Stewart's advice and laid stock- soaked cheesecloth over my turkey while it cooked.
What a pain in my backside.
NEVER, ever waste cranberry/pumpkin pie/homemade dinner rolls time basting a cheesecloth every third eye blink.

We now have a set menu with all of the "bests" I have found over the years-- including orange-zested cranberries, Pineapple Sweet Potato Poon, and Chocolate Pecan Pie. Our table is a carnival of flavors peaking with the most flavorful turkey you can imagine.

I wouldn't ever want to be considered insensitive to readers so in fairness, let's first learn how to make a Peanut Butter Tofu Vegetarian Turkey, shall we?




Or not.

Dry-Cured Rosemary Turkey
First Place Turkey in Sunset Magazine's Thanksgiving Recipe contest

Use a turkey that hasn't been infused with broth or butter (why let them have all the fun when you can slide your hand under turkey skin to butter it up yourself?)

3 Tablespoons Sea Salt (or Kosher salt)
3 Tablespoons dried Marjoram
3 Tablespoons dried Thyme
3 Tablespoons dried Juniper berries-- do NOT leave this part out. If I can find them here, you can find them there.
1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons Anise seeds
1 turkey, 14-15 pounds
12 fresh Rosemary Sprigs (3 inches each)
12 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 cup (1/4 lb) unsalted butter at room temp.

Three days before serving, finely grind salt, marjoram, thyme,juniper berries, peppercorns and anise seed.

Remove and discard leg truss from the turkey.
Pull off any lumps of fat.
Remove all "goodies" from turkey cavity (sorry if this sounds patronizing, but my sister-in-law cooked her turkey with the stuff still in place--two years in a row).
Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry.
Cut off wing tips and reserve for gravy.
Rub herb mixture all over the body and sprinkle any remaining in the cavity.
Cover and chill for THREE days.

Three days up already?

Preheat oven to 325˚ (convection not recommended). Put Rosemary sprigs and garlic inside turkey body cavity. Gently push your hand between the skin and the turkey breast to separate the skin from the breast, fun times people...
Spread about half of the butter under the skin.

Melt remaining butter and brush lightly (don't rub your rub off!) over the top of the turkey.

Coat a V-shaped rack with cooking-oil spray and set in a 12 x 17-inch roasting pan. Place turkey breast down on the rack. Roast for approx. 1 3/4 hours.

Now if you don't believe me regarding the ingredients or just how good this turkey is (or maybe you want the pan gravy recipe that goes with it), pop over here to Sunset's original recipe!

Crumbs, I'm hungry now. I wonder if it's acceptable to have Thanksgiving several times in November?
Gorgeous turkey photo from Monica Buck, Sunset Magazine, November 2005 issue