The standing joke in the food world is that every spring, food editors from around the country have to come up with yet another way to roast Thanksgiving turkey—Miso Glazed, Mole Roasted, Hot Cheetos, Glitter Turkey, Pickle-Brined, Kool-Aid Brined, Cereal-Crusted and Mountain Dew Turkey.

None of these recipes deal with the core problem. Turkey legs need to be cooked to at least 195°F, not 175°F, to make the dark meat edible. We’re talking tendons, connective tissue, cartilage, and fat, all of which need heat and time. The breast meat needs to reach 165°F but, at that point, the dark meat still needs more cooking.

The good news is that I have a solution which also produces the world’s best gravy. The first step is to remove the entire breast (the whole thing, not just one side) from the turkey. You can also remove the backbone (spatchcock) at this point, but that is optional. (Spatchcocking a 14-pound bird requires heavy-duty kitchen shears, not just scissors. It can also be done with a sharp knife but please be careful since the knife handle will be slippery.) I also remove the wingtips.

The next step is to take a large roasting pan, put a bunch of vegetables and herbs in the bottom (leeks are essential here but I also add carrots, celery, garlic, and onion) and a fistful of herbs such as thyme plus 2 cups water and then roast at a modest 325°F. (I also throw in the wingtips and the backbone cut into 2-inch pieces.) The legs are sitting in the water and the breast is placed on top, above the liquid. When the breast meat reaches 165°F, remove it and keep cooking the legs for another hour. In effect, you are braising the legs and roasting the breast. You are also making the world’s best stock—leeks deliver amazing flavor—which is then used as the base for gravy.

For best results, we also suggest that you salt the bird and let it sit uncovered in the refrigerator for at least two hours but preferably overnight. I have given up on wet brines—they are difficult to do, messy, and I do not like wet white meat—but a dry brine is worth the trouble.

Once the legs are done, strain off the liquid in the roasting pan—you should have around 4 cups—and reduce it by half. We thicken using a toasty roux with butter and flour.

And that is that. The last Thanksgiving turkey recipe you will ever need. I promise.

Chris Kimball

Christopher Kimball is founder of Milk Street, which produces Milk Street Magazine, Milk Street Television on PBS, and the weekly public radio show Milk Street Radio. He founded Cook’s Magazine in 1980 and was host and executive producer of America’s Test Kitchen until 2016. Kimball is the author of several books, including "The Yellow Farmhouse" and "Fannie’s Last Supper."