I do not like roasting whole turkeys. I do not, and I never will again. Last November I posted my first Crate Cooking turkey recipe declaring why I’m anti-whole bird, the biggest reason being the breasts overcook and dry out before the dark meat is done. And for Thanksgiving I’m still cooking a bird that’s broken down into pieces. But this year I’m braising the dark meat in sweet apple cider and roasting the boneless breasts covered in delicious butter.
The biggest take away from this method is minimal carving. No matter how great your knife skills are I never envy anyone (usually wearing a nice shirt while three glasses deep of Pinot noir) standing over a steaming hot, 20 pound bird with a dull, 40 year old carving set. The whole scenario is uncomfortable. I leave the wings and drumsticks whole, they aren’t worth cutting up and make for a festive presentation on a platter. And at least one of your guests can feel like a caveman. The thigh meat easily cuts into nice big chunks once you pull out the bone. The only parts that needs true carving are the boneless breasts. Get yourself a sharp knife and cut them into nice, thick slices.
The dark meat braise can be made 1 day in advance. Once the cooked dark meat has cooled, place it in an oven-safe dish or platter, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate. Reheat the turkey in the dish, covered, in a 375 F oven until hot. Refrigerate the cider jus in an airtight container and reheat in a small saucepan over low heat. The jus will thicken overnight so you may need to thin it with a little Simple Turkey Stock to reach your desired consistency.
Don’t forget the cranberry sauce!
Cider-Braised Turkey with Butter Roasted Breasts
serves 8
Ingredients
12 pound turkey, cut into 8 pieces (2 boneless breast halves, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 whole wings), back, neck, wing tips and giblets reserved for Simple Turkey Stock
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cups fresh apple cider
2 cups Simple Turkey Stock, or low-sodium turkey broth
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Pat turkey pieces dry with paper towels and season very generously with salt and pepper. Place pieces in a dish, cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days in advance.
Preheat oven to 300 F and adjust a rack to the middle row.
Remove dark meat (2 thighs, 2 drumsticks and 2 wings) from refrigerator, saving the breasts for later. Heat olive oil in a large, 12-inch wide Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add dark meat, skin side-down, cooking in batches to avoid overcrowding in the pot. Sear turkey until skin is dark golden in color and has released from the pot (it may stick at first), about 4 to 7 minutes per side, turning down heat if bottom of pot scorches. Remove turkey pieces from pot and set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining pieces.
Add the onion to the pot and season with a large pinch of salt. Sauté onion, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan, until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the herbs and cider and turn the heat up to high. Let the cider bubble until it has reduced by half and slightly thickens, about 10 minutes. Add Simple Turkey Stock or broth and return to a boil. Add the seared turkey pieces to pot, skin side up, along with any liquid that’s accumulated on the plate. Turkey will be snug in the pot.
Place pot in oven and cook, uncovered, until turkey is very tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove turkey from pot, transfer to a cutting board and tent with aluminum foil. Strain the cider braising liquid into a small saucepan and discard solids. Let the cider liquid simmer over medium heat until it has reduced, slightly thickens and resembles a runny caramel.
Preheat oven to 375 F and adjust a rack to the top row. Remove breasts from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.
Place breasts skin-side up on a rimmed baking or half sheet pan. Spread enough softened butter over breasts to cover the skin. Roast breasts in oven until internal temperature reads 150 F with an instant read thermometer, about 40 to 50 minutes. Allow breasts to rest on a cutting board for 30 minutes before slicing.
To serve, remove bones from the thigh pieces. Cut thigh meat into large chunks and slice the breasts (not too thin!). Arrange wings and drumsticks on platter with the thigh meat and sliced breasts. Serve with warm cider jus.