Directions
- 1Take out any neck or giblets from the turkey.
- 2Make an incision at the joint of the leg and thigh, pull it away slightly to expose the joint.
- 3Flip the turkey on its side and snap the leg joint back.
- 4Cut straight through the thigh going through the severed joint to remove the leg and thigh.
- 5Repeat the same process for the other leg and thigh.
- 6Stand the turkey up and make a cut on the back of the spine, then twist it back and cut around it to remove the carcass.
- 7Locate the wing joint, open it up, lay it flat on the board, and cut through it to remove the wing tip.
- 8Snap back the flat of the wing at the joint and cut it off.
- 9Repeat the process for the other wing.
- 10Turn the crown over and use a small pairing knife to cut out the wishbone by running the knife on either side of the bone.
- 11Firmly yank the wishbone out from the top.
- 12Use a spatula to gently separate the skin from the breast, taking care not to rip it.
- 13Chop two tablespoons of fresh thyme and set aside in a bowl.
- 14Crush five garlic cloves, add some salt, and make a paste using the back of a knife.
- 15Add the garlic paste to the chopped thyme.
- 16Clean the board thoroughly with salt and white wine vinegar, then sanitize it.
- 17Add 200g of softened room temperature butter to the herb mixture.
- 18Add 2 teaspoons of ground fennel, half a teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons of ground coriander, and the zest of one whole lemon.
- 19Season generously with salt and pepper and mix everything through with a spoon, then use your hands to combine it into a butter filling.
- 20Put a little bit of the butter filling under the skin on each side of the turkey breast.
- 21Gently massage the breasts to thoroughly incorporate the butter all over.
- 22Spread any excess butter over the top of the turkey.
- 23Flip the turkey over, bring the two drumsticks together, and tie them tightly with string using a loop-de-loop method, making knots and looping around the legs multiple times.
- 24Cut off any excess string.
- 25Turn the turkey crown over and massage the breasts one last time to ensure evenness.
- 26Place the turkey on a tray and generously season with salt all over to dry brine overnight, uncovered, in the fridge.
- 27After 24 hours, place the turkey on a baking tray with a rack in the middle.
- 28Brush the turkey with melted butter and season generously with pepper and a little more salt.
- 29Double line the turkey with foil over the top.
- 30Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for approximately 3 and 1/2 hours, with the first half covered and the second half uncovered.
- 31After 1 hour of baking, baste the turkey and put it back in the oven, covered, for another 30 minutes.
- 32After a total of 90 minutes, remove the foil.
- 33Check the internal temperature, aiming for 156F.
- 34Put the turkey back in the oven for another 40 minutes, uncovered.
- 35Baste the turkey again and crank the oven up to 425F to crisp up the skin for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- 36Give the turkey a final temperature check, aiming for 155F, with a good range between 152F and 158F.
- 37Let the turkey rest for about 1 hour and 20 minutes to allow the temperature to carry over.
- 38To carve, follow the breast bone right down with a sharp knife and gently pull away the turkey breast.
- 39Slice the turkey thick or thin as desired and serve.
Ingredients
- 10 kilos Turkey Crown
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped
- 5 garlic cloves crushed
- salt
- white wine vinegar
- 200 g softened room temperature butter
- 2 teaspoons ground fennel
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 whole lemon lemon zest
- pepper
- melted butter
Equipment
knifebowlspatulabaking trayrackfoiloven
Tips
- Do not rip the turkey skin when separating it from the breast.
- Clean your board thoroughly with salt and white wine vinegar after handling raw garlic to prevent flavor transfer.
- The butter should be pliable, not super soft.
- Tie the drumsticks together to maintain shape.
- Generously season the turkey with salt and let it dry brine overnight uncovered in the fridge for crispy skin.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 152F (66C) - 158F (70C) in the thickest part of the breast.
- Rest the turkey for at least 1 hour after cooking; it will continue to cook due to carryover heat.
- To re-crisp the skin, you can put it in the oven for 10 minutes after it's roasted.
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