Name: My Famous Thanksgiving Turkey
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT1H0M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M1DT4H0M0.000S
Yield: about 12 servings
Ingredients: One 13- to 14-pound turkey to spatchcock (or buy it already spatchcocked, if you can); Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (Note: I use Diamond Crystal; halve the; amount if you're using Morton); 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar; 2 teaspoons ground coriander; 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 7 garlic cloves, grated; Zest of 1 lemon; 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped; 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, chopped; 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped; 1 tablespoon onion powder; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; About 2 tablespoons avocado oil, for drizzling on top; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/4 cup pure maple syrup; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 3 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped; 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped; Zest of an orange; Umami-Packed Gravy, recipe follows; 3 cups water; 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon; 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms; Reserved turkey fat drippings (or in a pinch you can use 1/4 cup unsalted butter); 1 shallot, roughly chopped; 2 garlic cloves, chopped

Directions

Special equipment:

sharp poultry shears; a probe thermometer (recommended) or instant-read thermometer

First, spatchcock the turkey: Use paper towels to pat the turkey dry and remove the bag
of giblets. On a large cutting board, place the turkey breast-side down with its backbone
up. Starting from the neck area, use kitchen shears to cut along one side of the backbone through to the end. Cut along the other side of the backbone and remove the backbone (discard or save it
for stock). Spread the turkey wide open.
Flip the turkey over, place it breast-side up on the cutting board, spread its legs out, and
firmly press down with your hands on the middle of the breastbone until you hear a few
cracks and the turkey sits flat on the cutting board.
Line a large, rimmed sheet pan with foil. Set a wire rack on top.
Make the dry brine: In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup kosher salt, 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2
teaspoons black pepper, the brown sugar, and coriander. Rub the dry brine all over the
turkey, including under the skin. Place the turkey on the rack and refrigerate uncovered
for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours.
Take the turkey out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before it goes into the oven to allow it to come to room temperature. When you are ready to cook the turkey, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and place a rack in the middle of the oven. Leaving the turkey on the wire rack, lift up the rack and turkey and set aside. Remove the foil on the sheet pan, and set the turkey and rack back down on the unlined sheet pan.
Make the compound butter: In a medium bowl, mix the butter, garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Gently lift
the skin from the turkey breast and thighs and rub the butter all over the meat (this can
be done while the turkey is still resting at room temperature). Drizzle the oil all over the
skin and brush all over the top of the turkey.
Place the turkey in the oven with the breast facing the door, insert a probe thermometer into the
thickest part of the breast, and roast undisturbed until the internal temperature reaches
130 degrees F, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours (at which point you'll start glazing).
Make the maple soy glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, maple syrup, soy sauce,
rice vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and orange zest over medium
heat. Mix, stirring often, until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil, then
reduce the heat to medium-low and stir constantly until it coats the back of a spoon, 10
to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
When the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F, brush glaze over the top
of the turkey. Roast for 15 minutes, then glaze again. Repeat until the turkey breast
reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the legs and thighs are at least 185 degrees F, about another 30 to 45 minutes.
Rest the turkey at room temperature for 30 minutes before carving. Serve warm, with Umami-Packed Gravy on the side.

Umami-Packed Gravy:

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the Better Than Bouillon and the mushrooms and stir to dissolve the bouillon. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the liquid, discarding the mushrooms, and set aside.
Put the turkey drippings through a fat separator.
In the same saucepan over medium heat, add 1/4 cup fat from the drippings. Add the
shallot and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant,
about 1 minute, then whisk in the flour and cook, whisking frequently, until light brown, 6
to 8 minutes.
Slowly pour in half the reserved stock, whisking constantly until well combined. Mix in
the remaining stock and thyme. Stir frequently until it thickens and reaches a thick but
pourable consistency, 12 to 15 minutes. Mix in the Worcestershire sauce and soy
sauce, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Add turkey drippings from the fat
separator. Taste and season as needed.

Adapted from “Make It Excellent” by Emmanuel Duverneau. Copyright © 2027 by Emmanuel Duverneau. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.