You cook a turkey, what, once a year?
Bake time: Two hours.
(And don’t worry: My standards are high, and this turkey is fantastic.)
Photo courtesy Cook’s Illustrated/Joe Keller.
Case in point: This incredible two-hour turkey.
The skin is crisp, the bird is juicy, and the flavor is phenomenal.
(I wasn’t even sure I liked turkey all that much before this bird.)
Resist the temptation to tent the roasted turkey with foil while it rests on the carving board.
Covering the bird will make the skin soggy.
Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet.
Remove turkey from brine and pat dry, inside and out, with paper towels.
Place turkey on prepared wire rack.
Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
Line V-rack with heavy-duty aluminum foil and poke several holes in foil.
Set V-rack in roasting pan and spray foil with vegetable oil spray.
Toss thyme and half of vegetables with 1 tablespoon melted butter in bowl and place inside turkey.
Tie legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wings behind back.
Scatter remaining vegetables in pan.
Pour water over vegetable mixture in pan.
Brush turkey breast with 1 tablespoon melted butter, then place turkey breast side down on V-rack.
Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Roast turkey for 45 minutes.
Remove pan from oven; baste turkey with juices from pan.
Using 2 large wads of paper towels, turn turkey wing side up.
If liquid in pan has totally evaporated, add another 1/2 cup water.
Return turkey to oven and roast for 15 minutes.
Remove turkey from oven.
Gently tip turkey so that any accumulated juices in cavity run into pan.
Transfer turkey to carving board and let rest, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Carve turkey and serve with gravy.
