- 8
Ingredients
- 1 fresh turkey, about 16 pounds
- 20 fresh sage leaves
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Pomegranate Sauce, recipe follows
- Chopped chives, for garnish
- Pomegranate seeds, for garnish
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Remove the neck and gizzard from the turkey and discard. Rinse the bird thoroughly with cold water and pat dry. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin from the breasts and drumsticks and slip the sage leaves underneath. Rub the entire surface with 1/4 cup of the melted butter. Lightly sprinkle the skin and cavity with salt and pepper.
Truss the turkey and place on a rack in a large roasting pan. Roast for about 45 minutes, until brown, basting with the remaining butter every 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 F and continue roasting for another 1 1/4 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 180 degrees F. If the legs or breast brown too quickly, cover them with foil.
Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and allow it to rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
To serve, cut down along each breast and remove it whole. Cut the breast into slices, the way you would a loaf of bread. Place on a large serving platter and arrange the thigh meat in chunks and the legs on top. Spoon some pomegranate sauce over the top and sprinkle everything with the pomegranate seeds and chives.