Best 6 Classic Cheesecloth Turkey Recipes

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY 101

Steps:

• Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
• Place rack on lowest level in oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, 4-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; an instant-read thermometer is a much more accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity and neck cavity loosely with as much stuffing as they hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
• Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
• After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
• After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 180 degrees (stuffing should be between 140 degrees and 160 degrees) and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
• When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup. Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan. Add giblet stock to pan. Stir well, and bring back to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more. You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy. Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.

MEZCAL-AND-MAPLE-ROASTED TURKEY IN CHEESECLOTH

Steps:

• For the turkey: The day before serving, pat the turkey dry using paper towels. Remove the neck. Place the turkey on a large, clean cloth and rub both the inside and outside generously with salt. Place the turkey and the neck in a container that fits comfortably and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight to allow the skin to dry out.
• Remove the turkey at least 2 hours prior to roasting to take the chill off it. Position the oven rack on the lowest rung and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the oranges, 1 onion, cinnamon stick and thyme in the body cavity of the turkey. Fold the wings and tuck the tips underneath the bird.
• For the butter sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the maple syrup, mezcal and cloves. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until fully incorporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Place the remaining quartered onions in the bottom of a roasting pan to act as a rack. Add the turkey neck, along with the sage. Drizzle the onions and neck with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set the turkey on top of the onions. Soak a double layer of cheesecloth big enough to cover the bird in the butter sauce, then drape it over the breast and legs of the turkey. Pour any remaining butter sauce over the turkey. Add the stock to the bottom of the pan.
• Roast for 45 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and continue roasting until the skin is golden brown and the turkey juices run clear when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh and breast registers 160 degrees F, another 10 to 15 minutes per pound (at least 1 hour and 40 minutes and up to 3 hours).
• Allow the turkey to rest at least 30 minutes before removing the cheesecloth and carving.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside.
• Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
• Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
• Slice the turkey and serve.

BUTTER-BLANKETED TURKEY

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the lowest position (with room above to fit the turkey) and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Remove any turkey parts from the cavity and reserve for another use if desired. Dry the turkey well with paper towels inside and out. Sprinkle the cavity with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stuff with the thyme, rosemary, lemon wedges and half of the onion wedges.
• In a small bowl, mix together the 4 tablespoons room temperature butter with the paprika to make a smooth, spreadable mixture. Using your hands, carefully separate the skin from the flesh of the turkey from the breasts toward the legs, making sure not to tear the skin. Spread about half of the butter mixture evenly between the skin and flesh on one side. Do the same on the other side using the remaining butter mixture. Any residual butter on your hands or in the bowl can be rubbed on the outside of the turkey. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with 2 teaspoons salt, making sure to get it all over the surface.
• Scatter the celery pieces, whole carrots and remaining onion wedges in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the roasting rack in the pan, making sure it is level. Pour the broth into the pan. Transfer the turkey to the rack, tuck the wings back under the body and tie the legs together with butcher's twine.
• Cut a 20-inch piece of cheesecloth and fold twice, creating 4 layers. Submerge the cloth in the melted butter, making sure it is completely saturated with it. Gently squeeze the cloth, then re-form so there are 4 layers and place on top of the turkey, covering it completely. Use a turkey baster to baste the cheesecloth with some of the remaining melted butter.
• Roast for 30 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Baste the turkey with the pan juices and more of the melted butter. Continue to roast, basting with butter and pan drippings every 30 minutes, for an additional 2 hours.
• Very gently remove the cheesecloth from the turkey, taking care not to tear the skin (see Cook's Note). Baste one more time, then return the turkey to the oven with the breasts facing towards the back and roast until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh measures 165 degrees F, about another 30 minutes. Let rest for 30 minutes before carving.

ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Brine turkey: Bring 1 quart water, sugar, 3/4 cup salt, bay leaves, and peppercorns to a simmer in a large stockpot, stirring. Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes. Line a 5-gallon container with a large brining bag. Place turkey in bag. Add salt mixture, remaining 6 quarts water, onions, garlic, thyme, and all but 1 1/2 cups of the wine. Tie bag; if turkey is not submerged in brine, weight it with a plate. Refrigerate 24 hours, turning turkey once. Remove turkey from brine; pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Stir melted butter and remaining 1 1/2 cups wine in a bowl. Fold a very large piece of cheesecloth into quarters (large enough to cover breast). Immerse cloth in butter mixture; let soak.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a cutting board. Tuck wing tips under. Blend 4 tablespoons room-temperature butter with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon ground pepper. Loosen turkey's skin at body-cavity end; spread mixture under skin.
• Rub outside of turkey with remaining 4 tablespoons room-temperature butter; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle salt and pepper inside body and neck cavities. Loosely fill cavities with stuffing. Fold neck skin under; secure with toothpicks. Transfer turkey to a rack set in a roasting pan. Tie legs together with kitchen twine.
• Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, gently squeezing out excess liquid into bowl. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth over turkey breast. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Roast 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast 1 1/2 hours more, brushing every 30 minutes; tent loosely with foil if turkey is browning too quickly.
• Discard cheesecloth; rotate pan. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast until skin is golden brown and turkey is cooked through, rotating pan halfway through, 1 to 2 hours more. (Although the USDA recommends cooking turkey until it registers 180 degrees, we suggest cooking it only to 165, which will keep it moist; the temperature will continue to rise after the meat is taken out of the oven.) Transfer to a platter, reserving juices in pan. Let turkey stand at least 30 minutes before carving. Garnish as desired, and serve with gravy.

CLASSIC BRINED AND ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Put salt, sugar, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and 10 cups water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring until salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from heat; let brine cool completely.
• Add turkey, breast first, to the brine. Cover; refrigerate 24 hours. Remove from brine; pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Stir together melted butter and wine in a medium bowl. Fold a very large piece of cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to cover breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture; let soak.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Loosely fill body and neck cavities with stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Fold neck flap under; secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey all over with softened butter; season with salt and pepper.
• Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently into bowl. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth over turkey. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Roast 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast, brushing every 30 minutes, 2 1/2 hours more; cover with foil if browning too quickly. If making gravy, add giblets and neck to pan 1 1/2 hours after reducing temperature; roast 30 minutes, and reserve.
• Discard cheesecloth; rotate pan. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast, rotating pan halfway through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees and stuffing reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter. Set pan with drippings aside for gravy. Let turkey stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes. Garnish, if desired.