Published November 1, 2010. From Cook's Illustrated.
We crisped the skin in our butterflied turkey recipe by poking holes in the bird’s fat deposits and promoted browning by rubbing salt and baking powder over the skin. We seasoned the turkey’s meat with salt and then air-dried the bird overnight. Roasting the turkey in a low oven, with a blast of high heat at the very end, gave the turkey evenly cooked meat and a nicely browned exterior. Maple syrup, which we thinned with apple cider and cider vinegar and thickened with apples, served as a flavorful glaze. Finally, butterflying the turkey gave us an even plane to which the glaze stayed adhered.
Table salt is not recommended for this recipe because it’s too fine. If you have a V-rack that, when inverted, still fits into your roasting pan, place the turkey on that rather than on the onions.
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