Question about this turkey recipe?

1 (12 to 14) pound fresh turkey


Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing, recipe follows


Extra-virgin olive oil


Sage Butter, recipe follows


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and remove the top rack of the oven.


Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with stuffing and, if required, truss the legs. Cover the turkey with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Push the sage butter under the skin of the turkey, being careful not to puncture the skin.





My question is about the turkey butter. How do I push the butter under the skin? Does it need to be melted first?
Question about this turkey recipe?
No it definitely should not be melted.





There's two ways to make and use the sage butter. The simplest would be to make the recipe as directed. When you are finished, it should still be solid enough that you can tear off pieces and slide them under the skin. When you use this method, you should end up with something that resembles the consistency of softened butter from one of those large tubs that you get from the grocery store. Just ease the lumps underneath the skin.








The other one would be to make it, shape it into a roll (remember it's only softened to room temperature, not melted) and refrigerate it. Once it has hardened again, you can slice it or cut it up in some other fashion and slide the pieces underneath the skin.





P.S. It helps if you have first wormed your fingers around underneath the skin to loosen it. Be careful, especially on a frozen turkey, as the skin is often made very fragile by the freezing process.
Question about this turkey recipe?
Nope, don't melt it, just mix the ingredients together. Loosen the skin over the breast by pushing your fingers underneath it and smear smear smear away. It doesn't have to be uniform as it will melt as it heats.





Good Luck
Reply:no, don't melt the butter. you just want it soft enough to mix in the sage. To push the sage butter under the skin (and how awesome that does sound! you've inspired me) you just loosen the skin and smear the soft butter between the flesh and the skin with your fingers.