THE EASIEST AND
FASTEST: ROASTED
BUTTERFLIED
TURKEY
WITH GRAVY
As with butterflied chicken, cooking a turkey like this
solves pretty much every problem that a whole turkey
has, making the actual roasting process completely idiot-
proof. As long as you’ve got good kitchen shears, an
instant-read thermometer, and a few brain cells to rub
together, you should be able to put a perfect turkey on the
table any day of the year.
With a quick-cooking chicken, you can go straight on
a rack set in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Do this with
a turkey, and the drippings will start to burn before the
turkey is done. To solve this problem, and add some
flavor in the process, I spread a layer of chopped
vegetables in my roasting pan. The vegetables release
juices as they cook, preventing the drippings from
burning and creating a flavorful base for you to add to
your gravy at the end.
NOTE: For the juiciest results and crispest skin, dry-brine
the bird and air-dry it overnight (see here).