TURKEY ROASTING RACK RECIPES

Steps:

• Remove any giblets from the cavity and reserve for stock or gravy. Pat turkey and turkey neck dry with paper towel; rub turkey all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt per pound of turkey, the pepper and the lemon zest, including the neck. Transfer to a 2-gallon (or larger) resealable plastic bag. Tuck herbs and 6 garlic cloves inside bag. Seal and refrigerate on a small rimmed baking sheet (or wrapped in another bag) for at least 1 day and up to 3 days, turning the bird over every day (or after 12 hours if brining for only 1 day).
• Remove turkey from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey, uncovered, back on the baking sheet. Return to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours to dry out the skin (this helps crisp it).
• When you are ready to cook the turkey, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for one hour.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. In the bottom of a large roasting pan, add the cider and enough wine to fill the pan to a 1/4-inch depth. Add half the onions, the remaining 6 garlic cloves and the bay leaves. Stuff the remaining onion quarters and the lemon quarters into the turkey cavity. Brush the turkey skin generously with oil or melted butter.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set inside the roasting pan. Transfer pan to the oven and roast 30 minutes. Cover breast with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh reaches a temperature of 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours more. Transfer turkey to a cutting board to rest for 30 minutes before carving.

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.