Roast turkey with Salt Crust
Preheat oven to 400
Remove organ pack and plastic binder from the cavity. Dry turkey with paper towels. You MUST USE a meat thermometer for this recipe.
- Celery with leaves
- Carrots
- Granny Smith Apple (quartered)
- Large Red Onion (quartered)
- 1 Head of Garlic* (halved across equator)
- 1 stick of butter
- Coca Cola or Ginger Ale (2-3 cans or 2 Liter)
- 1 pkg fresh herbs (poultry: sage, oregano, thyme, etc)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt
Place 2 onion quarters, 1 apple quarter, two celery stalks, 1/2 of Garlic Head, 1/2 stick of butter and 1/2 of fresh herbs into cavity. Truss the turkey with kitchen twine (yes, watch the video). Cut remaining butter in to small pats, insert the pats of butter under the skin on top of the breast. Coat the entire turkey with olive oil. (For additional flavor, add Italian Seasoning to the olive oil prior to coating.)Sprinkle a liberal amount of Kosher salt onto the breast, drumsticks and wings (to create crust). Pour soda into the bottom of the roasting pan, enough to coat the pan 1/4″ deep.
Insert temperature probe into the bottom of the breast (not touching the bones). Roast turkey at 400 for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 325-350 and continue to roast until temperature in the breast reaches 175. Check the pan periodically to make sure fluid remains, if dry, add more soda to pan. Remove from oven and allow to rest a minimum of one hour prior to carving.