Cast Iron

Special Occasion Turkey

by:
October 13, 2011
4.3
3 Ratings
Special Occasion Turkey
Photo by Rocky Luten
  • Makes a 12 to 14 pound turkey
Author Notes

The only times I cook a whole turkey are for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Preparing and cooking such a big bird is truly a labor of love (or a pain in the keister). Over the years, I've tried a variety of options for the bird: different brines, different herb or spice rubs, and different cooking techniques. Last year I used a recipe from the Food Network by Chris Cosentino that called for separating the breast from the legs of the turkey, and applying an herb compound duck butter under the breast skin. The legs are placed in the oven long before the breast. I was hoping I'd struck gold with this technique. When I roast a whole bird, I start it out breast down and then flip it during cooking to prevent overcooked white meat. If I could eliminate the turning, it would save me some hassle while preparing the rest of the meal. Unfortunately it did not work as well as I'd hoped. The breast meat came out superbly juicy and flavorful, but the cooking times recommended did not work for me. The legs were done long before the breast, which is not a great situation with a crowd of hungry people clamoring to eat.

I did not want to abandon the idea so rather than figure out timing for 2 different pieces, I decided to butterfly the turkey so it would cook at a more consistent rate. I've butterflied many a chicken, so figured it wouldn't be too different. I was very wrong. It's much, much harder! The pelvic bones of the turkey are too hard to cut through with kitchen shears. A combination of kitchen shears through the ribs, and a cleaver through the pelvic girdle worked the best for me. This is a good illustration of the technique: http://thefrugalchef.com/2009/11/how-to-butterfly-a-turkey/ An even easier technique is to ask your butcher to butterfly the turkey and crack the breast bone.

To season the bird I did a dry brine with a paste of salt and honey under the skin of the legs and breast. I generally do a combination of salt and sugar for my wet brines, so why not try the same for the dry brine. I made a shallot confit using duck fat, and added some herbs and spices to slip under the skin after the turkey finished brining. The hard work up front really paid off in the end! The resulting turkey was finished cooking in about 2 hours, the breast and thigh meat were done at the same time, and even the notoriously dry and bland breast meat was succulent and flavorful. An added bonus is the shallot confit becomes like a built in gravy!

(Note: The backbone, plus neck and giblets make a fine stock that can be combined with the drippings to make gravy. Or just freeze the pieces to make stock later.) —hardlikearmour

Test Kitchen Notes

This was the best turkey I've ever had. I was surprised at how many of the individual flavors came through in the meat -- to date, I don't think I've had a turkey this flavorful. I spooned a bit of the drippings onto each serving, which highlighted the flavors even more, and I made an amazing gravy out of the drippings the next day. A few make ahead notes: you can make the confit ahead of time, and you can even prep the rest of it in advance and then just assemble and plop in the oven for a short amount of time (2 hours!) the day you plan on eating. One of our testers had difficulty finding duck fat, so be sure to call a few places ahead of time to see if it's available. For not much work, the reward (taste and accolades) is too great not to make this recipe! —Dawne Marie

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Seasoned Shallot Confit
  • 1 pound shallots
  • 1/2 cup duck fat (or unsalted butter)
  • 3 tablespoons water (or 2 tablespoons if using butter)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond kosher salt
  • 3 large oranges
  • 2 tablespoons minced thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon stone ground or dijon mustard
  • 4 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Roast Turkey
  • 1 12 to 14 pound turkey
  • 4 tablespoons Diamond Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 Medium onion
  • handful Thyme
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
Directions
  1. Remove skins from shallots. Dice the shallots by hand, or in two batches in your food processor. Heat the duck fat (or butter) in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the shallots and toss to coat. Add the water and salt, and toss again. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook stirring occasionally until the shallots are softened, about 20 minutes. Remove the cover and cook until most of the water has cooked off, about 3 to 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a tightly sealed container and refrigerate until you are ready to cook your turkey.
  2. While the shallots are cooking or cooling, butterfly your turkey (unless you've had your butcher do it for you). Using a sharp kitchen or poultry shears cut along each side of the backbone starting at the neck. You will hit a point where you cannot cut any further at the pelvic area. Use your cleaver to chop and hack through the pelvic bones, being exceedingly careful not to cut yourself. (See video link in Cook's notes above.) Once the backbone has been removed from the turkey, turn the turkey over and push down on the breast to break the keel bone. I had to wrap the turkey in plastic wrap and bash it with my cast iron skillet a couple of times to make it happen. (Phew! The hardest part is now over.)
  3. With the turkey breast side up, gently separate the skin from the breast meat using your fingers or the end of a wooden spoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the skin over the legs. Be careful not to tear the skin. Flip the turkey over again, and make your salt paste.
  4. In a small bowl combine the kosher salt and honey, mixing together into a homogenous paste. Rub about 1 tablespoon of the paste under the skin over each breast, massaging out any clumps and trying to get an even coating. Rub about 2 teaspoons of the paste under the skin over each leg, again massaging out the clumps and aiming for even dispersal. Rub the remaining paste on what would've been the cavity of a whole turkey. Wrap the turkey in plastic, and place on a platter, then refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours to let the brine work its magic.
  5. About 3 1/2 hours before meal time, remove the turkey from the refrigerator. Unwrap it, and pat it dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel. Transfer the turkey to a cooling rack (set over a pan to catch any juices,) and set aside. Preheat your oven to 425ºF with a rack in the lower middle position.
  6. Remove your shallot confit from the refrigerator when you pull the turkey out. Transfer it to a medium sized bowl.
  7. Zest the oranges, and add zest (about a heaping tablespoon) to the confit. Set the oranges aside, you will be using them shortly. Add the mustard, minced thyme, coriander, cumin, and pepper to the confit. Stir to combine. (Note: the duck fat is soft enough at refrigerator temperature to mix into a smooth paste. Butter will need to warm up a bit to mix well.)
  8. With the turkey breast side up, insert about 1/4 of the seasoned shallot confit under the skin of each breast, attempting to cover the entire surface of the meat evenly. Flip the bird over and work about 1/3 of the remaining paste under the skin of each leg. Rub remaining paste onto what would've been the cavity of a whole bird.
  9. Slice the ends off each orange, then slice the oranges into thirds. Remove the skins from the onion, slice the ends off, then cut 2 slices from the onion about the thickness of the orange slices you have. Separate each onion slice into 2 or 3 groups of rings. Arrange the orange and onion slices on a rimmed baking sheet; you are creating a "rack" for the turkey to rest on to keep it elevated from the pan. Scatter thyme sprigs over the orange and onion slices.
  10. Place the turkey breast side up over the orange and onion slices. Tie the drum sticks together so the legs rest on the narrow portion of the breast -- this helps to protect the breast from cooking too quickly. Tuck the wings under the breasts. The turkey should essentially be in a single thickness layer. Rub the skin with the oil. Set aside until about 2 1/2 hours prior to mealtime.
  11. Place turkey in oven, and set timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes lower the oven heat to 325ºF. Cook the turkey until the breast meat registers 165º F on an instant read thermometer, about 75 to 115 minutes. Rotate the pan from front to back at about the halfway point. Monitor for excess browning of the bird, and cover with aluminum foil if needed.
  12. Remove from the oven and allow turkey to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving and serving.
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hardlikearmour

Recipe by: hardlikearmour

I am an amateur baker and cake decorator. I enjoy cooking, as well as eating and feeding others. I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with my husband and our menagerie. I enjoy outdoor activities including hiking, mushroom hunting, tide pooling, beach combing, and snowboarding.

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37 Reviews

drbabs
drbabs October 28, 2012
Wow,this was amazing. Thanks for a great recipe! Totally worth the prep time.
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 28, 2012
Yay! I'm happy you tried it, and thrilled you liked it!
 
wssmom
wssmom October 21, 2012
So glad you submitted this to this contest!! Love the orange-thyme-onion flavors ...
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 21, 2012
Thank you! I sometimes think I get a little crazy with my Thanksgiving turkey, but I really want it to be the star of the meal.
 
fiveandspice
fiveandspice October 18, 2012
This is crazy awesome! I only roast turkey once a year (Christmas is pork centered for us), and even then, I've only been in charge of the Thanksgiving turkey for a few years, not enough experimental time to veer off much from just the most basic approach. But, I may have to petition the family and see if we can give something like this a trial run this year.
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 18, 2012
Thanks! I did quite a few trial runs using chicken, so maybe try that first as a means for convincing them.
 
loubaby
loubaby October 18, 2012
sorry, I kept hitting the add because I am impatient.
 
loubaby
loubaby October 18, 2012
Ok, this is the bird I am making for thanksgiving...so creative...love it
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 18, 2012
Thank you! I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine!
 
loubaby
loubaby October 18, 2012
Ok, this is the bird I am making for thanksgiving...so creative...love it
 
loubaby
loubaby October 18, 2012
Ok, this is the bird I am making for thanksgiving...so creative...love it
 
loubaby
loubaby October 18, 2012
Ok, this is the bird I am making for thanksgiving...so creative...love it
 
loubaby
loubaby October 18, 2012
Ok, this is the bird I am making for thanksgiving...so creative...love it
 
loubaby
loubaby October 18, 2012
Ok, this is the bird I am making for thanksgiving...so creative...love it
 
drbabs
drbabs October 16, 2012
Love the confit...I'm always blown away by how creative you are.
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 17, 2012
Thank you! You're very creative yourself, so that means a lot!
 
vrunka
vrunka November 28, 2011
This was the basis for the turkey I made for Thanksgiving this year -- I didn't follow the recipe exactly, but I did use a shallot duck fat confit under the skin and let me tell you, it was fabulous! The meat was tender and full of flavor. And the stuffing that I baked under the turkey was ridiculously tasty -- probably because of the extra duck fat. Plus you got a very flavorful, herby, saucy topping for the meat with all the shallot mixture that comes spilling out as you carve. Who needs gravy?
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour November 29, 2011
I'm glad I could inspire you, and I love the idea of baking stuffing under the turkey! Will give that a go next year. Happy holidays!
 
SKK
SKK October 15, 2011
Oh HLA, this sounds so good and I am too lazy to make it. Found myself wanting to take a nap about Step 3. So I sent this onto friends who promised to make it for me. Thanks for sharing this!
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 15, 2011
Why do you think I only cook turkey once or twice a year? I hope your friends make it and you enjoy it!
 
healthierkitchen
healthierkitchen October 15, 2011
This sounds just perfect! I love all the flavors and though I've never spatchcocked a turkey, it seems like a great idea. Wondering, AJ and HLA, what size pan I might need to use.
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 15, 2011
Thanks, hk! I used a rimmed cookie sheet, the size that a normal silpat fits into - I think 18ish by 11ish.
 
luvcookbooks
luvcookbooks October 15, 2011
ack, i meant hardlikearmour
 
luvcookbooks
luvcookbooks October 15, 2011
This sounds delicious,aargersi. I'm always looking for ways to make turkey taste better, since I feel a need to make it on Thanksgiving and don't really like it. I was thwarted by the add recipes feature but was going to add a butterflied turkey with an Asian "butter" slipped under the skin. Glad this is here, same technique, different flavors!
Also thought I might be going to the emergency room while trying to cut up the turkey!! Next time I think I will ask the butcher to do the butterflying.
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 15, 2011
Thank you & no worries! I like the idea of an asian flavor profile. I did a turkey several years back that had a 5-spice brine, and it was really yummy.
 
aargersi
aargersi October 14, 2011
This sounds insanely good! I will be applying duck fat this year even if I don't butterfly - you are genius!!
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 14, 2011
I cannot take credit for the duck fat! I thought it was genius when I saw it on the food network last year, though I scaled back quite a bit on how much I used. It does add flavor, especially to the breast meat, and I know it'll be right up your alley. Here's the link to the food network recipe I got the idea from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/countdown-6-roasted-thanksgiving-turkey-my-way-recipe/index.html
 
Niknud
Niknud October 14, 2011
Oh that confit sounds amazing! I'm with you on the splitting of the turkey - it's one of the few times a year where I bust out the intimidating cleaver and have at it. Rather like splitting a log - you just hope you hit it in the right spot. :) Love the citrus in there - yah Thanksgiving!
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 14, 2011
Thanks, Niknud! My turkey was small but strong ;) When I get a chance I want to find some other uses for the confit. I bet it would be great with a lot of things.
 
gingerroot
gingerroot October 14, 2011
You had me at shallot-duck fat confit, hardlikearmour. I also love the idea of a honey and salt brine. With the oranges and spices I bet this is incredibly fragrant as it is cooking. YUM!
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 14, 2011
Thanks, gingerroot! The honey and salt dry brine worked really well. Last year I did a plain salt dry brine, and had to rinse out pockets of salt. With the honey-salt after 24 hours in the fridge the salt had completely disappeared, so no rinsing, and the meat was seasoned nicely.
 
lapadia
lapadia October 14, 2011
A "labor of love" indeed, my hat's off to you, HLA!
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 14, 2011
Thanks, lapadia! Labor of love is just the polite way of saying pain in the rear!