Ingredients
- 1 20- to 21-pound fresh whole turkey, giblets and neck removed from cavity and reserved
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, about 3 sticks, melted, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup bottle dry white wine
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Baking Directions:
Warm the butter and white wine together and soak the cheesecloth in it.
Season the bird with peppercorns and coarse salt.
Allow the bird to rest for about two hours to come to room temperature.
Tuck the wing tips under the body.
Insert the stuffing just before the turkey goes into the oven.
Never do it ahead of time and don't pack it too tightly.
The stuffing won't cook evenly and bacteria may grow.
Don't forget to stuff the neck cavity.
Pull the flap of skin at the neck down and use toothpicks to fasten it.
Pull the legs together loosely and tie them with kitchen string -- a bow will be easy to untie later.
Any kind of sturdy white string or twine will do, as long as it's made of cotton, not polyester, which may melt in the oven's heat.
Rub the turkey with butter and season with salt and pepper.
Choose a heavy roasting pan with sides 2 to 3 inches high.
Don't use one with a nonstick surface.
A roasting rack will keep the turkey from sticking to the pan.
Cover the turkey with cheesecloth that has been soaking in the butter and wine.
It should cover the breast and part of the leg area.
Begin roasting.
Every 30 minutes, use a pastry brush to baste the cheesecloth and exposed areas of the turkey with the butter-and-wine mixture.
Basting should be done in the oven and as quickly as possible so the oven temperature doesn't drop.
Watch the pan juices; spoon out and reserve them for the gravy if they are in danger of overflowing.
After the third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard the cheesecloth; it will have turned quite brown.
Baste the turkey with pan juices, taking care not to tear the skin, and return it to the oven.
After the fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into thickest part of the thigh (if you poke a bone, try again); when the temperature reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the bird is ready.
Transfer the turkey to a serving platter to rest for 30 minutes.
Use a thin-bladed, carbon-steel knife to carve the meat into thin slices.
Make sure bird is sufficiently rested, which takes approximately 15 minutes after it has been removed from the oven, before cutting.
