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Nicholas Gavin is the Culinary Creative Director of ChefSteps, where he develops recipes and is responsible for making all the food look beautiful. Nick has worked at ChefSteps for over a decade; he and ChefSteps co-founder Grant Crilly worked together at Modernist Cuisine. Nick has worked in professional kitchens both in the United States and abroad, most notably at Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain.

Nicholas Gavin

Two turkey breasts with drumettes attached

The menus at upscale restaurants often feature dishes with meats and vegetables cooked two—sometimes even three—ways. Presenting one ingredient prepared multiple ways is a great way to showcase distinct textures and preparations, but when it comes to poultry, it’s also about making the most of the meat on offer. Because as anyone who has roasted a whole chicken or turkey knows well, cooking light and dark meat together can be a heartbreaking affair. By the time the legs and thighs are done, the breast is often dry. This is a common lament when cooking the big old birds we buy at Thanksgiving, and many hosts over-rely on gravy to make overcooked white meat reasonably palatable. And that’s a bummer considering all the effort and expense that goes into putting a holiday feast on the table. There’s a better way. You can serve your turkey (or any poultry) two ways, roasting the crown and drumettes and turning the dark meat into an elegant roulade. Displaying this all together on a plate is a gorgeous presentation, but even more important, every piece of the bird is cooked to bring out maximum flavor and wonderful textures. Here, we show you how to tackle the crown. To learn how to turn that dark meat into a lovely roulade, head <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/roulade">over here</a>.

Roast Turkey Crown