Cooking the turkey using two methods allows you to bring out the best qualities in both the white and dark meat. The legs and wings have the classic crisp and meltingly tender quality of slow-cooked duck confit, and the breast is perfectly roasted and juicy.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 12 hr 50 min |
| Active: | 55 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 10 servings |
Ingredients
- One 12- to 14-pound turkey, leg quarters and wings removed, breast kept whole
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 cloves garlic, minced, plus 2 heads, halved
- 1 large shallot, minced, plus 2 shallots, halved
- 16 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped from half and roughly chopped
- 12 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped from half and roughly chopped
- 8 bay leaves, half roughly chopped
- 4 cups rendered duck or chicken fat, or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 orange, halved
- Pear Chutney, recipe follows
- 1 3/4 pounds fresh pears, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Put the turkey legs and wings in a large bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon pepper. Add the minced garlic and shallot and chopped thyme, rosemary and bay leaves and rub all over until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Scrape off as much of the seasoning mixture as possible from the turkey legs and wings and discard. Blot dry with paper towels. Melt the duck fat in a large wide pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Nestle the turkey legs and wings skin-side up in the pot so that they’re submerged in the fat. Bring to a very gentle simmer, cover and cook until the leg meat is extremely tender, but not falling apart, about 2 hours. Turn off the heat and set aside. The recipe can be prepared to this point up to 2 days in advance. Keep the turkey submerged in the fat and refrigerate it.
- Meanwhile, prepare and roast the turkey breast. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven, remove the top rack, and preheat to 425 degrees F. Sprinkle the breast generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the halved garlic and shallots, the remaining thyme, rosemary and bay leaves and the orange. Prop the breast up by placing two balls of aluminum foil under the space where the wings would attach, so that it doesn’t topple over. Brush the skin with some of the rendered duck fat, and roast until just starting to brown, about 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue cooking until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the breast registers 160 degrees F, about 30 minutes more. Remove the turkey from the oven and set aside to rest.
- While the turkey rests, finish the legs and wings. Carefully remove the legs and wings from the fat and blot dry with paper towels. Put 1/4 cup of the fat in each of 2 large nonstick skillets. Heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the legs and wings skin-side down and cook until deeply browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until browned on the second side and heated through, about 3 minutes more.
- Transfer the legs and wings to a serving platter. Carve the breast meat and transfer to the platter with the legs and wings. Serve with the Pear Chutney on the side.
- Combine the pears, shallot, sugar, raisins, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon vinegar. Serve warm or chilled. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 1492 |
| Total Fat | 106 g |
| Saturated Fat | 34 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 7 g |
| Sugar | 23 g |
| Protein | 93 g |
| Cholesterol | 383 mg |
| Sodium | 1964 mg |