Serves 4-6 people with leftovers
- 1 6-8lb Half Turkey
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup dry white wine
The day before
Optional: for crispy skin, defrost meat and let sit, unwrapped, in your fridge overnight to allow the skin to dry out.
Prepare the turkey
Preheat the oven to 325˚. Pat skin dry. Put the turkey on a rack in a pan.
Slide your fingers under the skin and gently separate the skin from the meat.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture evenly all over the skin of the turkey breast. (You can also loosen the skin and smear half of the paste underneath, directly on the meat.) Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.
Roast
Put the turkey in the oven to roast. Roast the turkey for 1-1½ (about 10 minutes per pound), until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest and meatiest area of the breast. Check the breast after an hour or so; if the skin is overbrowning, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
To Serve
Allow turkey to rest, lightly covered with foil, for about 15 minutes before serving.
If you like, pour the juices in the pan through a strainer into a pan. Bring to a boil and whisk the juices. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve the juices with the turkey.
