Roasted Turkey With Mole-Inspired Spice Rub
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This turkey is dry-brined a day before roasting, meaning it is seasoned with salt and left overnight, uncovered, in the refrigerator for moister, more flavorful meat. Just before putting it into the oven, mix together an easy rub inspired by the flavors of mole — with chile powder (preferably single origin), cinnamon, allspice, clove and black pepper. The result is a beautifully colored and delicious bird.
Remove and discard the packaging from the turkey. Remove the giblets and neck from the cavities and discard or reserve for another use. (Boil the neck to make a stock to use for the mole, if you want. I give the giblets to my dog.) Drain the water from the cavity of the turkey and pat the turkey dry.
Sprinkle the salt all over the turkey and into the cavities and rub the salt into the skin to coat it thoroughly. Put the turkey on a baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight or for up to 2 days.
About 2 hours before you’re ready to roast it, remove the turkey from the refrigerator. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, chile powder, black pepper, cinnamon, allspice and clove to make a paste and rub it all over the turkey, including inside the cavities.
Place the turkey on a v-rack set inside a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Put the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, fennel, orange wedges and fresh thyme or poultry herbs in the cavities and around the turkey and pour 4 cups of water into the pan.
Place one oven rack in the lowest position and remove the remaining racks. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Roast the turkey until a thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the thigh (but not touching the bone) registers 140 degrees, 1½ to 2 hours. (Add water to the pan if it is below ½-inch deep.)
Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Baste the turkey with the melted butter every 10 minutes until the temperature in the deepest part of the thigh reaches 155 degrees, about 20 minutes total. Remove the turkey from the oven and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving and serving. Strain the drippings from the pan and reserve them to make mole or gravy.
