The Ultimate Turducken

Ingredients

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small chicken, bones removed following the step-by-step slideshow here
• 2 pounds raw bulk sausage meat
• 1 duck, bones removed step-by-step slideshow here
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 turkey, carcass removed step-by-step slideshow here, legs and wing bones left intact

Directions

1. Sprinkle the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Set it on your cutting board with the skin against the board. Use 12 ounces of sausage to make a rough log about 2 inches across, and lay it down the middle of the chicken. Bring 1 side of the chicken snugly over the sausage, then pull the other side over so the skin overlaps and closes it up. The sausage should be enclosed inside the chicken. Wrap it very firmly in several layers of plastic wrap so it holds a tight cylinder shape. If you prefer, tie it tightly with butcher's twine instead.
2. Seal the chicken in a vacuum sealer bag. Set the bag in a large stockpot, add warm water to cover, and put the pot over medium-high heat. Once small bubbles start lifting from the bottom, turn the heat down to its lowest setting. Cook until the chicken is firm when pressed and an instant-read thermometer pushed through the plastic into the center reads 140 to 145 degrees F, about 45 minutes.
3. As the chicken cooks, season the duck all over with salt and pepper. Spread a 36- by 12-inch piece of plastic wrap on the cutting board, then open the duck flat on top of it with the skin facing down. Cover the meat evenly with the remaining sausage. Once the chicken is done, take it out of the bag and plastic wrap, then blot it carefully with paper towels. Lay the hot chicken straight down the center of the duck. Use the plastic wrap to help guide the duck around the chicken, then wrap everything in several layers of plastic to make a firm cylinder. You can also tie the duck tightly with butcher's twine instead.
4. Seal the chicken and duck roll in a vacuum sealer bag. Put it in a large stockpot and add enough warm water to cover. Warm it over medium-high heat until bubbles just start to come up from the bottom, then lower the heat as far as it will go. Cook until the duck feels firm, about 30 minutes.
5. Take the duck out of the water. If it was in a vacuum bag or plastic wrap, remove both, then tie the duck tightly with twine. Pat the outside very dry with paper towels.
6. Warm 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the duck and chicken roll and brown it, turning now and then, until the outside is crisp and deeply colored on every side, pouring off extra rendered fat as needed. You can save that fat for another use. This should take about 15 minutes total.
7. Move the oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the turkey skin-side down on a cutting board and season the exposed meat with salt and pepper. Remove the twine from the duck and chicken, then set the roll down the center of the turkey. If needed, trim the duck and chicken roll so it matches the length of the turkey breasts. Any extra duck/turkey can be served as well.
8. Gently pull 1 side of the turkey over the duck and chicken, then bring the other side over so the skin overlaps by at least 1 inch. Fasten the skin closed with metal or wooden skewers in 5 to 8 locations. Set a V- or U-rack in a roasting pan, then carefully move the turkey onto it with the seam facing down.
9. Turn the turkey so the legs point toward you. Slide a long piece of butcher's twine behind the breasts, nestling it into the wing joints. Bring the twine around the base of the breast and down to the lower edge of the breast, then cross the ends. Wrap each end around the end of a drumstick and pull them together firmly. Loop the twine around both drumsticks a few times to hold them in place, then tie a knot and snip off the extra twine. Rub the remaining oil over the turkey and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the turkey is golden brown, the breast meat reaches at least 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, and the thighs reach at least 165 degrees F, about 1 1/2 hours.
10. Move the turkey to a cutting board, gently pull out the skewers, and let it rest for 20 minutes. To carve it, take off the legs and wings. Cut the breast lengthwise down the middle to make 2 boneless halves, then slice crosswise for serving.