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2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

12 skinless chicken drumsticks

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Mix the onions, celery, sweet potato, garlic cloves, melted butter, parsley, and thyme in a large bowl; spread this mixture into a 13 × 9-inch baking pan or a large roasting pan, making a bed for the drumsticks. Wedge in the bay leaves, then season the mixture with salt and pepper. Lay the drumsticks on top.

Cover and bake until the vegetables are soft and the drumsticks are cooked through, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes at room temperature. Discard the bay leaves before serving.

Variations: Substitute olive oil or walnut oil for the butter.

Substitute 1 tablespoon minced tarragon leaves for the parsley.

Substitute 1 teaspoon smoked paprika for the thyme.

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Turkey

Annually, each American ate over 17 pounds of turkey! Yes, that’s more than a single Thanksgiving dinner, but most is made up of luncheon meats and deli sandwiches. And that’s too bad. A roast turkey is one of the better dishes for a party.

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No-Fail Roast Turkey

with Four Wet Rubs

Why wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy this American staple? Brining the bird protects it during long roasting, ensuring a crisp-outside, moist-inside turkey every time. Makes 10 to 12 servings

6 cups water

1 cup salt

One 12-to 14-pound whole turkey, giblets and neck removed, excess skin and fat from both openings trimmed (see Note)

2 medium onions, quartered

3 bay leaves

One of the four wet rubs that follow

Butcher’s twine

Whisk the water and salt in a bowl or pot large enough to hold both the bird and about 8 more cups water. Place the turkey in the bowl or pot, then pour in enough cold water to cover fully. Place in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 4 hours but no more than 12 hours.

Position the rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry. Place the onions and bay leaves in the large cavity.

Insert a finger between the skin and meat on one side of the breast over the large cavity opening; gently work more fingers into the space without stretching the skin too much as it comes free of the meat, thereby creating a pocket between the skin and the meat. Do the same on the other side of the breast.

Massage a quarter of the chosen spice rub over the meat exposed under the skin on each side of the breast, again taking care not to stretch the skin too much. Rub the rest of the spice mixture over the exterior skin, patting the breast skin back into place. Truss the bird with butcher’s twine, then set it on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.

Roast until well browned, basting occasionally with the pan juices (but taking care not to dislodge the rub), until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165°F (our preference) or 180°F (the USDA recommendation), 3 to 3½ hours. When pierced, the juices in the thigh should run clear. Let the turkey stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before carving; discard the bay leaves before carving.

Note: A 12-pound hard-frozen turkey will take 2 to 3 days to thaw in the refrigerator. You can speed up the process by wrapping the frozen bird tightly in plastic wrap so there are no leaks and fully submerging it in a huge pot of cold water set in the refrigerator; a 12-pounder will take 6 to 7 hours to thaw.

Skipping the brine:

Kosher turkeys should not be brined; those already injected with a saline solution (read the label) should also forgo this process. To omit the saltwater brine, skip step1 in the above recipe and cover the spice-rubbed turkey for the first hour in the oven with aluminum foil. Remove the foil and baste lightly with 3 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter, melted. Baste every 30 minutes thereafter with pan drippings, taking care to keep the herb crust intact.

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Tips for Success

Don’t waste extra virgin olive oil on this long-roasted