Recipes Slow-Roasted Turkey with Herb Salt 2.0 (5,583) Add your rating & review "The greatest poultry I've ever had was in France, where it's dry-brined to concentrate the flavor," says Frank Stitt. Slideshow: Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes By Frank Stitt Frank Stitt F&W Star Chef » See All F&W Chef Superstars Restaurants: Bottega, Chez Fonfon, Highlands Bar and Grill (Birmingham, AL) What are you most famous for? Braises, long-simmered stews, whether it’s with lamb, rabbit, guinea hen or beef cheeks. What’s your current food obsession? Using the whole animal, incorporating everything from the cheeks to the tail. You can work directly with the farmer. It helps them out. Best new store-bought ingredient? There’s a wonderful lemon vinegar called Huilerie Beaujolaise. It has a sweetness and tartness. I’m really excited about that. I use that vinegar for everything from dressing crab to making reductions for seafood to making vinaigrettes for vegetables. What ingredient will people be talking about in five years? Local honey and local eggs. We’re going to have more beekeepers and we’re going to be talking about different varieties of hens, whether it’s an Araucana or whether it’s a Rhode Island Red, and which one makes the best eggs. What will we always find in your fridge? There are always farm eggs. There’s always Dijon mustard and Hellmann’s mayonnaise and Champagne. Parmigiano-Reggiano, cured meats. Fra’ Mani—their salumetti piccolo is a current favorite. What’s your favorite snack? Some of our egg salad. Often I’ll put that on a Bays English muffin. Who is your food mentor? Richard Olney. I was so fascinated by his writing and his knowledge about food, wine and cooking, as well as the message about the importance of studying the history and the traditions of a dish. The more you study, the more you can incorporate a spirit of a dish. Favorite cookbook of all time? All of Elizabeth David’s books and Richard Olney’s books. Simple French Food is one that I go back to for the inspiration. What is the most cherished souvenir you've brought back from a trip? Ingredients from Slow Food, the Salone del Gusto, some different olive oils, vinegars and also smuggled truffles. What’s the best bang-for-your-buck ingredient, and how do you use it? Calabrian chiles. The ones that I like are these very small, round, red chiles that are packed in olive oil. They often will have the stem on. When you chop or crush them and add them to, say, goat cheese or mozzarella or a crostini or a vinaigrette, there is this wonderful flavor—not just the heat—but this flavor of pimento. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 17, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Christina Holmes Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 5 hrs 30 mins Yield: 8 Ingredients 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme 1/2 tablespoon dried savory 1 teaspoon dried sage 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest One 14-pound organic turkey, rinsed and patted dry 1 onion, quartered 1 celery rib, cut into 2-inch pieces 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled Directions Set a rack over a rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix the salt and pepper with all of the dried herbs and the lemon zest. Rub the herb salt all over the turkey cavity. Transfer the turkey to the baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 2 days. Transfer the turkey to a clean rack set over a clean baking sheet; let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400°. Stuff the turkey with the onion, celery and garlic. Tuck the wings under the breast and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Brush the turkey all over with the butter. Put it in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 275°. Roast the turkey for about 3 hours and 15 minutes, basting occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 165°. Cover the turkey with foil and let rest for 1 hour. Carve and serve. Suggested Pairing Rhône-style red blend. Rate it Print