Roasting a turkey, like hosting Thanksgiving, is all about compromise. When you gather extended family members together for a meal, any personal ideas of perfection get tossed in favor of accommodation.
How does this relate to turkey? You've probably heard it a hundred times: The white meat and dark meat of a turkey cook at different rates, so by the time the legs measure 165, the breasts are way past done. This is kind of an issue when they both are attached to the same set of bones. So you overcook the white meat to finish off the dark meat _ a compromise that ensures half the bird is dry.
The best way to solve this conundrum is to cut the turkey into pieces and roast them precisely. As soon as the breast hits 155, simply yank it out of the oven. What could go wrong? Plenty. Go this route, and you risk alienating the contingent of your family that demands the presentation of a gloriously browned whole bird on a shiny platter like in some Norman Rockwell fantasy.
Yet, you no doubt have sane family members who don't care what the turkey looks like as long as it tastes good. The battle between traditional and practical continues. But what if you could have the best of both? What if you could roast two turkeys _ one traditional and one focused solely on flavor?
Here's a wild thought: You can.
The idea came from Anthony Bourdain's latest cookbook, "Appetites." In the Thanksgiving chapter, Bourdain (the host of "Parts Unknown" on CNN) suggests cooking two turkeys, which he refers to as a "stunt turkey" and a "business turkey." This way you can proudly present a whole, intact turkey, while also making sure you have another perfectly cooked bird waiting in the wings. (You still can eat the stunt turkey, though it may have drier breast meat.)
It's not as crazy as it sounds. Instead of springing for the largest turkey possible (18 pounds or more), go with two smaller birds (8 to 12 pounds). You'll end up with approximately the same amount of meat.
Bourdain still calls for keeping the business turkey whole, but I took the idea one step further and decided to break down the business turkey into parts.
Here's how it works. Leave one turkey whole, roast it simply and then garnish the living daylights out of it. For the other bird, you're going to get crafty. You'll cut it up into pieces, rub it with a flavorful spice mixture and then roast the pieces until each is exactly the temperature you want it. This means you'll need an accurate meat thermometer, preferably a good-quality digital one.
I can't guarantee this will solve all of your Thanksgiving-related issues, but at least the turkey will be delicious.
