Demystifying the Art of Cooking Turkey like Gordon Ramsay

With his Michelin-starred restaurants and popular TV shows like Hell’s Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay has established himself as one of the world’s most celebrated chefs. Though known for his perfectionism and fiery temper, there’s no denying Ramsay produces amazing results in the kitchen. When it comes to cooking turkey, Ramsay has some unique techniques up his sleeve to ensure a moist, flavorful bird. In this article, we’ll break down Ramsay’s step-by-step method for roasting the perfect turkey.

Choosing Only the Freshest Birds

According to Ramsay starting with only the best quality raw ingredients is half the battle when cooking. For turkey he selects only fresh, free-range birds raised without antibiotics or hormones. The breed of turkey matters too – heritage breeds like Narragansett, Bourbon Red, and Standard Bronze tend to have more flavor and juicier meat. If you can’t access a heritage bird, just make sure the turkey is not pre-frozen or pre-stuffed.

Dry Brining for Maximum Juiciness

Here’s where Ramsay’s method differs from most he’s adamantly against wet brining birds in salt water Instead, he relies on dry brining – rubbing the turkey all over with salt then refrigerating it uncovered overnight. The salt seasoning draws moisture to the surface while dissolving some proteins, allowing the turkey to retain more juices as it cooks Some chefs dry brine for up to 3 days.

Massaging in Plenty of Butter

The day of roasting, Ramsay removes the turkey from the fridge 1 hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature. He then liberally rubs the entire surface with softened, room temperature butter. Butter basting helps keep the turkey skin ultra crisp and golden brown in the oven. The butter also adds richness to the meat.

Stuffing with Fresh Herbs

Ramsay is not a fan of pre-made stuffing baked inside turkeys. Instead, he lightly stuffs the cavity with fresh herbs like thyme, sage, and rosemary. The herbs infuse the meat with flavor as it cooks while allowing heat to circulate inside the cavity. He trusses the legs closed to seal in the herbs.

Roasting Low and Slow

Cooking the turkey low and slow is vital for Ramsay’s moist turkey with crispy skin. He preheats the oven to only 300°F – vastly lower than the standard 350°F. After rubbing the skin all over with butter, Ramsay places the turkey breast side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Roasting breast down keeps the delicate breast meat protected while the legs and thighs cook through fully.

Basting Every 30 Minutes

Throughout the roasting time, Ramsay bastes the turkey every 30 minutes. He pours pan drippings over the back to keep the skin moist. Basting prevents the skin from drying out and becoming leathery. If pan drippings evaporate, he uses more melted butter for basting.

Flipping and Finishing Breast Up

After roasting breast side down for about 2 hours, Ramsay flips the turkey and finishes cooking breast side up. This allows the breast skin to crisp and turn golden. He bastes every 15 minutes during this final stage. Total roasting time is around 15 minutes per pound. For a 15 lb turkey, that equals 225 minutes (3 hours, 45 minutes).

Letting the Bird Rest

Once the turkey reaches the ideal internal temperature of 165°F in the thighs and breasts, Ramsay transfers it to a cutting board to rest for 30 minutes. As the turkey rests, the juices redistribute back into the meat. Carving right away causes the juices to spill out onto the cutting board instead of staying inside the turkey where they belong.

Deglazing the Roasting Pan

While the turkey rests, Chef Ramsay makes the most of the fond (browned bits) stuck to the roasting pan. He deglazes the pan with chicken stock, wine, or water, scraping up all those flavorful browned bits. These are then used to make an easy gravy or sauce to serve alongside the roasted turkey.

Serving with Simple Sides

According to Ramsay, the turkey is the star of the meal and should take center stage. He pairs it with simple sides like roasted vegetables, braised greens, root mash, or creamy polenta to complement, not compete with, the flavors. This allows the turkey to dazzle diners with its crispy herbed skin, succulent meat, and intense jus.

So there you have it – Gordon Ramsay’s tried and true method for roasting the perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey. With attention to quality, proper technique, and some patience, you too can achieve his level of turkey mastery in your own kitchen.