DRY-BRINED TURKEY BREAST
WITH SLOW-ROASTED LEGS
ACTIVE: 4 hr l TOTAL: 4 hr (plus overnight dry-brining)
SERVES: 8
¼ cup kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme,
plus 8 sprigs
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary,
plus 4 sprigs
1 12- to 14-pound turkey, thawed if frozen,
neck and giblets removed
2 heads garlic, halved
2 lemons, (1 halved, 1 sliced)
4 bay leaves
1 large shallot, quartered
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Dry-brine the turkey: Combine the salt,
2 teaspoons pepper and the chopped thyme and
rosemary in a small bowl. Cut off the turkey legs
(thighs and drumsticks together). Put the turkey
breast and legs on a rimmed baking sheet. Season
the turkey breast inside and out and the legs all
over with the salt mixture. Stuff the turkey cavity
with 1 halved garlic head, the halved lemon,
4 thyme sprigs and 2 rosemary sprigs. Cover and
refrigerate overnight.
- Position one oven rack in the bottom position
and one right above it; preheat to 350 ̊. Combine
the remaining halved garlic head, 4 sprigs thyme,
2 sprigs rosemary, the sliced lemon, bay leaves
and shallot in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the
olive oil and stir to combine. Place the turkey legs
skin-side up in the baking dish and cover with foil.
- Roast the turkey legs on the bottom oven rack
until just tender when pierced with a sharp knife,
about 2 hours. Uncover the legs and continue
to roast until the skin is golden and the legs are
completely tender, 1 to 1½ more hours.
- Meanwhile, for the turkey breast: Set a rack
in a large roasting pan. Place the turkey breast
breast-side up on the rack; let sit at room
temperature 30 minutes. Once the turkey legs
have been roasting for about 30 minutes, place the
roasting pan with the breast on the rack above
the legs; roast until the skin is deep golden brown
and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part
without touching the bone registers 160 ̊,
2 to 2½ hours. Let the breast rest 30 minutes
before carving. (If the turkey breast is done before
the legs, move the legs to the higher rack to help
them brown. If the legs are done before the breast
is done resting, set aside and tent with foil to
keep warm.)
- Serve the turkey legs and breast with the
roasted garlic, lemon and shallot.
108 FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE ●NOVEMBER 2019
Dry-Brined
Turkey Breast with
Slow-Roasted Legs
̛ɟƚΦ
If you’re
planning to brine,
don’t buy a kosher or
self-basting turkey (it’ll
turn out too salty), and
add the drippings to
your gravy gradually
so you can control
the saltiness.