CHIEF COOKING RECIPES

Steps:

• Bring the meat to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator at least an hour before cooking, preferably two. (For a larger roast, make it three.) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Place the meat, bone side down, in a large roasting pan. Season it with salt and pepper. If you like garlic, peel the cloves and cut them into tiny slivers; use a boning or paring knife to poke small holes in the meat and insert the garlic into them.
• Place the roast in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, undisturbed. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees and continue to roast about 1 hour; check in several places with a meat thermometer. When no spot registers under 125 degrees (120 degrees if you like your meat really rare and your guests are of the same preference), the meat is rare; cook another 5 or 10 minutes if you like it more well done, then check again, but in no case should you let the temperature of the meat go above 155 degrees.
• Remove the meat from the oven. Pour off all but a few tablespoons of the fat, and place the roasting pan over a burner set to high. Add the liquid and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until it is reduced by half. Slice and serve the roast, splashing a little of the sauce on the meat platter and passing the rest at the table.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Working on baking sheet, remove giblets and neck of turkey from cavities. Reserve neck and discard giblets. Pat turkey dry.  Stuff half of onions and thyme into main cavity. Tie turkey legs together with kitchen twine. Tuck wing tips underneath body (this will prevent them from burning). Rub turkey with butter (or oil) and season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place turkey neck, carrots, celery, and remaining onions and thyme in large roasting pan. Place roasting rack in pan and place turkey on top. Roast turkey until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (Cover turkey loosely with foil if it browns too quickly, and add broth to pan if vegetables begin to scorch.) Carefully tilt turkey to empty juices from cavity into pan. Transfer turkey to a carving board or cutting board set in a rimmed baking sheet (to catch juices while carving). Cover loosely with foil and let rest at least 30 minutes. Reserve pan and contents to make gravy. Carve and garnish turkey as desired.