SPLIT ROAST TURKEY

Split Roast Turkey image

Provided by Mark Bittman

Time 55m

Yield About 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

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Ingredients

1 6-to-8-pound turkey
10 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed, or more to taste
A few branches sage, thyme or rosemary
1/3 cup butter or olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds mixed root vegetables, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil

Steps:

Heat the oven to 450. Use a sharp knife to remove the turkey's backbone. (Reserve the backbone to make stock.) Turn the turkey over, and press on it very hard to flatten the breast; dislocate the thigh joint where it meets the torso.
Put the bird breast side up in a large roasting pan. The wings should partly cover the breasts, and the legs should protrude a bit. Tuck the garlic and herbs under the bird's skin and in the nooks of the wings and legs; smear with butter (or drizzle with olive oil), and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
Roast for 20 minutes, undisturbed. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables and put them in a roasting pan and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper and some of the herbs; don't crowd the pan. Put in the oven.
If the turkey is browning too quickly, reduce the oven temperature to 400; begin to check it after about 55 minutes of total cooking; it's done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 155. Cook the vegetables until slightly caramelized and soft; if necessary, they can continue to cook while the turkey rests before carving.
Separate the turkey's legs from the torso and slice; slice the breast as well. Pass the meat on a platter with the vegetables.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 880, UnsaturatedFat 29 grams, Carbohydrate 34 grams, Fat 41 grams, Fiber 10 grams, Protein 89 grams, SaturatedFat 8 grams, Sodium 1820 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams