Best Split Roast Turkey Recipes

SPLIT ROAST TURKEY

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.

HERBED ROAST TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°.With fingers, carefully loosen the skin from both sides of turkey breast. Combine lemon juice and oil; brush under the skin. Combine the pepper, rosemary, thyme and garlic salt; rub over turkey., Place onion and celery in a 3-qt. baking dish. Top with turkey breast, skin side up. Pour wine into the dish. , Bake, uncovered, 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until a thermometer reads 170°. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.) Cover and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

ROAST SPATCHCOCK TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a roasting rack on a baking sheet.
• Turn the turkey over, breast-side down. Using a pair of sharp heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone. Repeat on the other side of the backbone. Reserve the backbone for making turkey stock for gravy. Press firmly down onto both sides of turkey to flatten.
• Tuck the wing tips under the turkey and place on the roasting rack. Pat skin dry and rub olive oil over the entire turkey; season with salt, sage, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, rotating baking sheet every 30 minutes. Increase temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and roast until skin is crisp, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove turkey from the oven, cover loosely with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.