Melissa Clark’s The Perfect Roast Turkey for Thanksgiving or Anytime

Turkey

• 1 whole turkey (10 to 12 pounds), fresh or thawed if frozen (
• 1 cup dry white wine or apple cider, plus more as needed (or use more broth)
• 1 to 2 cups chicken broth, turkey broth, or water, as needed
• 8 to 12 garlic cloves (optional), smashed and peeled
• 2 medium red or yellow onions, peeled and quartered
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 small bunch of thyme, rosemary, or sage
• Olive oil or melted unsalted butter, as needed

Dry Brine Seasonings

• 1 tablespoon spices, such as smoked or sweet paprika, mild chile powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, baharat, za’atar, or another spice blend
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic or onion powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, grated
• Grated zest of 1 to 2 lemons or 1 orange
• 2 tablespoons minced rosemary, thyme, marjoram, or oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
• After salting in Step 2, smear the turkey cavity with 4 to 6 mashed anchovies.

• Remove any giblets from the turkey cavity and reserve them for stock or gravy. Pat turkey and neck dry with paper towel.
• In a small bowl, mix together salt (see chart) and any optional seasonings. Rub this mixture all over the turkey, inside and out, including under the skin of the breasts and thighs (don’t stress about this part, but if it’s easy to separate skin from the flesh, seasoning the meat under the skin will deepen the flavor). Season the neck.
• Place turkey, uncovered, breast-side down, on a rack in a rimmed sheet pan. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days, turning the turkey breast-side up about halfway through the brining time.
• When you are ready to cook, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for 1 hour (this helps the meat cook evenly)
• Heat oven to 450°F.
• Place the turkey neck in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Add the wine and enough broth to fill the pan to a ¼-inch depth. Add half the garlic (if using), half the onion, and the bay leaves to the liquid in the pan. Place the bunch of herbs, the remaining onion quarters, and the remaining garlic into the turkey cavity. Brush the turkey skin generously with oil or melted butter.
• Place turkey, breast-side up, on a roasting rack set inside the roasting pan. Transfer pan to the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh and the breast reaches a temperature of 155°F, 1 to 1½ hours (or longer for a bigger bird). If the liquid in the bottom of the pan begins to dry out before the turkey is cooked through, top it off with a generous splash of wine, broth, or water.
• Transfer the turkey to a cutting board to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. The temperature of the bird will rise to 165°F during this resting time. Reserve the liquid in the pan to use in a gravy.