Spatchcocked Turkey with Cloves and Orange

 

Photo by Heather Hanson

We should draw our attention to the turkey before the big day arrives. 

I loved this bird more than any other turkey I've ever made. I've taken to brining most turkeys, but the time and room in the fridge can be prohibitive. This bird does need to spend the night before hand in the fridge, but the fear of brine leaking everywhere is no longer a concern. 

This is a smaller turkey, only 10-12 pounds which will still feed a fair number of people. 

The true beauty of this turkey is the cooking time. Spatchcocking...cutting out the spine and spreading it flat, breast side up, cuts down the roasting time to about 90 minutes. The breast remained unbelieveably moist, the dark meat still has time to cook through, and because the bird was flayed open far more of the skin roasted to that perfect crispy golden brown.

So what beer to pair?

Pair with a Belgian Tripel.  Again, as a collaboration with Boom Island, we opted for their Brimsone Tripel. Tripels are a farily common Belgian style. Often corked and caged, these big bottles make quite the presentation at the dinner table. If you can't find Brimstone try Unibroue's La Fin Du Monde, Westmalle's Trappist Tripel, Chimay White or Tripel Karmeliet.

"The centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner needs an equally impressive beer to join at the table. Brimstone's higher alcohol and effervescent carbonation holds its own against the richness of the turkey, while the hints of clove and honey from the beer help pick up the spices and citrus used in the basting oil."

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

serves 10-12

Ingredients:
• 4 tsp ground coriander
• ½ cup kosher salt
• ¼ cup finely grated orange zest
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp rosemary
• 1 Tbsp thyme
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 10–12 lb. turkey
• 2 medium onions, quartered
• 4 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise
• 4 celery stalks, halved crosswise
• 2 heads of garlic, halved crosswise
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 wide strips orange zest
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• ½ cup Belgian Pale Ale

Preparation:
• Combine coriander, salt, orange zest, brown sugar, rosemary, thyme, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Place the turkey breast-side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp kitchen shears and some muscle power, cut along both sides of the spine and remove. Flip the turkey breast side up, spreading open as much as possible. Press down on breastbone to flatten. You should hear a crack and feel the bones give way. Rub the entire turkey with salt mixture. Place turkey, skin side up, on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, overnight.
• Preheat oven to 450°. Arrange onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in a roasting pan. Rinse turkey, pat dry, and place, skin side up, on top of the vegetables. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil, orange zest strips and cloves in a small saucepan until oil is sizzling, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
• Brush turkey with oil, and add ½ cup of Silvius to the pan. Roast turkey, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue to roast, rushing with oil every 20 minutes, until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°, about 1 hour longer. Transfer to a platter; tent
with foil and let rest at least 30 minutes before carving.