Description
This dry-brined turkey is everything you want it to be: crispy-skinned, deeply seasoned, and unapologetically flavorful. A black garlic compound butter melts under the skin, leeks and pears sit inside and underneath the bird, and the whole thing finishes with a sake pan gravy. It’s a little unexpected and totally unforgettable.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Turkey
- 12–16 lb frozen turkey
- 4 tbsp kosher salt
- black pepper as needed
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 whole bulbs aged black garlic, peeled (I recommend this brand)
- 3 large leeks
- 3 bartlett pears, quartered & seeds/core removed
- extra virgin olive oil as needed
- 1 and 1/2 cups sake or dry white wine
Gravy
- 6 tbsp salted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- salt + black pepper as needed
- drippings from turkey
- 1/2 cup sake or dry white wine
Instructions
- Thaw the turkey: About 6 days prior to cooking, place the frozen turkey on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator to thaw (a turkey takes roughly 24 hours per every 4 lbs. A 16 lb turkey will take about 4 days to thaw).
- Dry-brine the turkey: 2 days prior to serving, once the turkey is fully thawed, remove the neck and giblets. Rinse the turkey and pat it completely dry. Rub the turkey all over with salt, making sure to place some under the skin and into the cavity (use about 1 tbsp per 4 lbs of turkey. A 16 lb turkey needs 4 tbsp salt). Wrap the turkey in a few layers of plastic wrap or place in a large sealable bag, then set breast side up on a baking sheet and refrigerate overnight. Refrigerate overnight, then turn the turkey over and refrigerate one more night.
- Make the gravy base ahead of time: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden. Slowly pour in the broth, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil and let cook for about 5 minutes, until thickened. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Bring the turkey to room temperature: About 1 hour before cooking, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Pat the turkey dry, then place the turkey breast side up in a roasting pan and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Make the compound butter: Add 2 bulbs of black garlic to a small bowl and use a fork to mash them into a paste. Add the softened butter and stir together with a spatula until smooth and well combined.
- Prep the leeks: Cut each leek in half lengthwise, rinse thoroughly to remove any dirt, then cut into thirds. Set the dark green ends aside.
- Prep the turkey to cook: Heat the oven to 450°F. Sprinkle ½ tbsp of black pepper inside the turkey cavity, then stuff it with the dark green leek ends, 1 pear, and the remaining 2 bulbs of black garlic. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Arrange the remaining leeks and pears in the bottom of the roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Carefully lift the turkey skin and rub the black garlic butter underneath the breast skin (avoid rubbing it on the outside—it can burn). Sprinkle another ½ tablespoon of black pepper all over the outside of the turkey.
- Roast the turkey: Place the turkey in the oven and roast uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour 1 cup of sake into the bottom of the roasting pan. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F, cover the breast and wing tips with foil, and continue roasting for 2 hours. Remove the foil and roast for an additional 30-50 minutes, until the skin is golden and the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Rest the turkey: Remove the turkey from the oven and tilt it slightly so the juices from the cavity run into the pan. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and a damp towel, and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
- Finish the gravy: While the turkey rests, finish the gravy. Transfer the roasted pears and leeks from the pan to a serving dish for garnish. Place the roasting pan over two burners set to medium heat. Add ½ cup of sake and whisk to deglaze the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the gravy base from Step 3 and whisk to combine. Let the gravy cook for about 10 minutes, whisking occasionally, until thick and creamy. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
- Carve the turkey: Uncover the rested turkey and carve it on a cutting board or present it whole on a serving platter. Enjoy!
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop + Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 905
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1468mg
- Fat: 40g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: .5g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 101g
- Cholesterol: 357mg