Turkey Confit with Olive Oil

Ingredients

• One turkey, cut up into wings, thighs, and gizzards and heart, about five pounds
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt per pound of meat
• 1 onion, diced
• Crushed black pepper
• For confiting:
• 4 cups olive oil, or enough to completely cover the meat
• 1 head of garlic, the ends cut off to expose the cloves

Directions

1. Combine the turkey pieces, salt, pepper, and onion in a large nonreactive mixing bowl, turning everything until the meat is evenly seasoned. Seal the bowl well and chill it overnight, up to twenty-four hours.
2. The next day, wash the turkey well under cold running water, then arrange all of the pieces in a medium ceramic or enameled cast iron pot. If you can, settle the pieces into one layer. Add the oil, checking that every piece is fully submerged. Put the pot over very low heat and warm it until the oil reaches a simmer, about 30 minutes.
3. Lower the heat as far as you can and keep the turkey at that barely bubbling point on the stovetop for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the meat is tender. Do not let the oil move into a stronger simmer. When it is ready, the turkey should look pale and feel soft.
4. Once the turkey is cooked, shut off the heat and leave the meat in the oil in the pot until both have cooled. When the pot is cool enough, cover it and move it to the refrigerator. Check that the turkey remains fully under the oil; if any pieces are exposed, add more olive oil until they are covered. The meat will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.