Crispy Truffled Turkey Recipes

Steps:

• For the turkey: In a small bowl, mix the kosher salt, truffle salt, chopped thyme and pepper flakes. Lay the turkey flat on a rimmed baking sheet, skin-side down, and then pat it dry with paper towels. Generously sprinkle the inside of the turkey with half of the seasoning mixture, being sure the hit the thick parts a bit heavier than the thin parts. Flip the turkey and sprinkle the skin side with the remaining seasoning. Cover the turkey with a piece of loose parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Rest the turkey at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.
• On a clean, rimmed baking sheet, scatter the thyme sprigs, celery, carrots, rosemary and onions. Pat the turkey dry one more time and place on the bed of vegetables skin-side up. Tuck the wings under the shoulders. Mix together the truffle butter and oil in a small bowl. Pour the butter mixture over the bird and brush evenly on the skin. Roast until an instant-read thermometer reads 155 degrees F in both the thigh and the thickest part of the breast, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• Place the turkey on a cutting board to rest for 20 minutes before carving. Strain any juices from the bottom of the baking sheet and skim off any fat that may rise to the surface. Carve the turkey.
• For the gravy: In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, heat the chicken broth, thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and 1/4 cup water until smooth and no lumps remain. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the simmering broth. Continue to whisk until smooth and thick, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the reserved turkey drippings, the kosher salt and truffle salt. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf and serve the gravy with the carved turkey.

Steps:

• To make the turkey: Position the rack in the lowest third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• Rinse the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the turkey on a rack set inside a large roasting pan. Place the orange and lemon wedges, onion, and 2 sprigs of each fresh herb in the main turkey cavity. Tie the legs together to hold the shape of the turkey. Stir 2 tablespoons of butter, the herbes de Provence, oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of each the salt and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat just until the butter melts. Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey and between the turkey breast meat and skin. Place the turkey neck and giblets in roasting pan. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before roasting.)
• Cover the turkey breast with foil. Roast for 20 minutes. Pour 3 cups of broth into the pan and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining sprigs of fresh herbs to the pan. Roast the turkey for 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the foil from the turkey; pour 1 more cup of broth into the pan. Continue roasting the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F to 175 degrees F or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 1 hour and 30 minutes longer. Transfer the turkey to a platter and tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes while preparing the gravy.
• To make the gravy: Strain the turkey pan juices from the roasting pan through a sieve and into a 4-cup glass measuring cup; discard the solids. Spoon off the fat from atop the pan juices. Add enough chicken broth, about 1 to 2 cups, to the pan juices to measure 4 cups total. Melt the remaining butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the broth. Simmer until the gravy thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the turkey with the gravy.

Steps:

• Make the truffles: Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl with the chocolate over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue to heat until completely melted, about 1 minute more.)
• Meanwhile, bring the cream and honey to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat (or in the microwave). Gradually whisk the cream into the chocolate until smooth and shiny. Whisk in the butter until very smooth. If possible, switch to an immersion blender and blend for about 1 minute for a satiny texture. Cover the surface of the chocolate with plastic wrap; chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.
• Transfer 2 tablespoons of the chocolate mixture to a small resealable plastic bag and snip a tiny piece off one corner. Twist the top of the bag to push the chocolate mixture down to the cut corner. Set the prepared bag aside.
• Line a 13-by-9-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop slightly rounded tablespoon-size portions from the remaining chilled chocolate mixture. With gloved hands, roll each portion into a ball. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.
• Decorate the truffles: Let the truffles soften slightly at room temperature for about 10 minutes to make it easier to insert the almond slices. Using a tweezers if desired, gently insert a row of 8 almond slices pointed-ends down in the back of each truffle to make a fanned turkey tail. Press a candy corn, pointy-end facing toward you, on the top of each truffle to make the turkey's face and beak. Press an almond slice underneath each candy corn beak to make the turkey's waddle. Place two almond slices underneath each truffle to make the turkey's feet.
• Warm the reserved bag of chocolate mixture in the microwave until soft, 5 to 8 seconds. Squeeze the bag to pipe eyes onto the candy corn faces, and pipe decorative striped lines across the almond tails. Let set at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Once set, the truffles can be held in a cool spot, out of the refrigerator, for up to 2 hours. Otherwise, refrigerate, covered, for up to 5 days. The truffles taste best if served at room temperature, not straight from the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Drain any juices from the turkey and place it on a flat rack in a large, shallow roasting pan. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
• Working from the large cavity end, gently run your fingers between the skin and the meat to loosen the skin, taking care not to tear the skin. (Be careful not to do this with rings on your fingers!) Place the softened butter under the skin and gently massage the skin to spread the butter evenly over the whole breast.
• Sprinkle the cavity generously with salt and pepper. Place half of the thyme sprigs in the cavity along with the onion and garlic. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tie 1 length of string around the bird and the wings to keep the wings close to the body.
• Brush the turkey with olive oil, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Remove 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves from the stems, chop them, and sprinkle on the turkey. Roast the turkey for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until an instant-read thermometer placed in the center of the breast registers 160 degrees F. If you want the skin to be crisp, don't baste the turkey at all! About halfway through, when the breast is golden brown, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil to prevent the skin from burning.
• Remove from the oven, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Carve and serve with the pan juices.

Steps:

• Three days before cooking the turkey, rinse, clean and dry the turkey thoroughly.
• In a food processor, pulse the salt, granulated garlic, black pepper, bay leaves, thyme, orange zest and rosemary until still coarse but uniform, about 10 times. Rub the inside of the turkey with the salt mix. Then carefully slip your fingers under the breast skin and rub a liberal amount UNDER the skin. Flip the turkey on its side and sprinkle more of the salt mixture on the thigh, wing and leg. Repeat on other side.
• Place the bird in a large zipper-top bag or brining bag. (If neither is available, cover in plastic wrap.) Place the bird on a wire rack on a sheet pan breast-side up, and place in the fridge away from any raw food (on a lower shelf). Leave in the fridge for 3 days.
• On the night before cooking, remove the turkey from the fridge and take it out of the plastic. The skin should be dry and the salt should be dissolved. If any large patches of moisture are present, wipe with paper towels. Place back in the fridge, uncovered, for another 8 hours to dry out.
• On the day of, take the turkey out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Fit a roasting pan with a wire v-rack.
• Put the turkey in the roasting pan and brush with the melted butter. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to 325 degrees F and roast, basting occasionally, until the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about another 2 hours. Let the turkey rest for 30 to 45 minutes before carving.