Published November 1, 2005.
For a roast turkey recipe that would produce a bird with powerful, aromatic flavor through and through, we made a vertical slit in the breast meat and, using a paring knife, created an expansive pocket by sweeping the blade back and forth. This created a void into which we could rub a small amount of herb paste. Along with three other herbal applications—underneath the skin, inside the cavity, and over the skin—we had a recipe that gave every bite of turkey an herb flavor.
If you have the time and the refrigerator space, air-drying produces extremely crisp skin and is worth the effort. After brining, rinsing, and patting the turkey dry, place the turkey breast side up on a flat wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, 8 to 24 hours. Proceed with the recipe. See below for adjustments for different sized turkeys.
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