Turkey Porchetta

Ingredients

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
• 4 medium cloves garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon whole fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 whole bone-in, skin-on turkey breast, patted dry
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 quart low sodium homemade or store-bought chicken or turkey stock
• 1 small carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 large stalk celery, roughly chopped
• 1 medium onion, roughly choppped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons flour

Directions

1. Put 2 teaspoons kosher salt, the peppercorns, sage, garlic, fennel seed, and red pepper flakes into a food processor. Process for about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed, until you have a coarse paste.
2. Gently peel the skin away from the turkey breast and spread it out flat. Save the carcass for the gravy. With your hands and a boning knife, work the breast meat free from the bones. Put the tenderloins aside for another use.
3. Arrange 1 breast half over the flattened skin. At the thick end, slice horizontally with a boning knife, stopping with the final 1/2 inch still attached, then open that piece out like a flap. Do the same with the other breast half.
4. Cut parallel shallow grooves across the turkey meat at 1-inch intervals, going about 1/2 inch deep. Turn your knife and make a second set of cuts crosswise to the first, then massage the herb paste over the meat, pushing it down into the cuts.
5. Roll the turkey meat into a snug cylinder, using the skin as the outside layer so the meat is fully wrapped. Tie it firmly with butcher's twine every 1 inch, then add 1 lengthwise tie. Set the roast on a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet, tent it loosely with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 6 hours and up to 2 days.
6. While the turkey is in the refrigerator, start the gravy. Use poultry shears or a heavy cleaver to chop the carcass into rough pieces. In a large saucepan, warm 1 tablespoon canola oil over high heat until the surface shimmers. Add the carcass pieces and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until they are deeply browned. Stir in the carrots, celery, and onion, and keep cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables take on a little color. Pour in the chicken stock, add the bay leaves, and add just enough water to barely cover the bones. Bring it up to a boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for 2 hours. Pass the liquid through a fine mesh strainer, throw away the solids, and skim the fat from the top. Pour the liquid back into a saucepan and simmer until you have about 3 cups.
7. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes, whisking the whole time, until the roux turns a deep golden brown. Gradually add the turkey broth, whisking as you pour. Let it come to a simmer so it thickens slightly, then add salt and pepper to taste. Cool the gravy, then refrigerate it until you need it.
8. When it's time to roast, set an oven rack in the center and heat the oven to 275 degrees F. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey lightly with salt and pepper. Set a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet over high heat; add the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil and heat it until it shimmers. Brown the turkey in the skillet, turning it from time to time, until all sides have color, about 8 minutes total. Move the turkey to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, then put it in the oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145 to 150 degrees F, about 2 hours. Take it out of the oven, move it to a cutting board, and rest it for 10 minutes. While it rests, warm the gravy. Cut away the twine with poultry shears. Slice the turkey and serve it with the hot gravy.