Published November 1, 2000.
For a great roast turkey recipe with a superbly crisp skin, we let the bird air-dry in the refrigerator after brining, which allowed the residual moisture in the skin from brining to evaporate. As a result, the skin became crisp in the oven instead of steaming from excess moisture.
We prefer to roast small turkeys, no more than 14 pounds gross weight, because they cook more evenly than large birds. If you prefer, halve the amount of salt in the brine and brine 12 hours or overnight. When you remove the turkey from the oven to rotate it, be sure to close the oven door to prevent heat loss. Preheating in a microwave gives the stuffing a head start on cooking so that the turkey does not overcook as it waits for the stuffing to reach the proper internal temperature. A cheesecloth stuffing bag makes easy work of removing the stuffing when it’s time to carve the bird.
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