To fully flavor the turkey skin and make it especially crispy, push very thin layers of cured lardo ​beneath the bird’s skin.

Ingredients

• 1 (12- to 14-pound) fresh whole turkey
• 4 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon black pepper, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, plus 3 thyme sprigs, divided, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 8 cloves), plus 6 smashed garlic cloves, divided
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 halved lemon (preferably meyer lemon), divided, plus more lemon halves for garnish
• 3 ounces lardo or fatback, thinly sliced using a mandoline
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 sweet onion, quartered
• 2 fresh bay leaves, plus more for garnish

Directions

1. Fit a wire rack inside a roasting pan. Place turkey, breast side up, on wire rack. Run your fingers under breast and thigh skin to loosen from meat. Sprinkle turkey all over with 4 teaspoons salt and 2 1/2 teaspoons pepper, rubbing into skin, around joints, and inside cavity. Sprinkle turkey skin all over with 4 teaspoons chopped thyme, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 2 teaspoons lemon zest. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 12 hours or up to 36 hours. (If refrigerating more than 12 hours, cover turkey with plastic wrap; uncover for final 12 hours of refrigerating to let the skin air-dry.)
2. Stir together lardo, 1/2 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, remaining 2 teaspoons chopped thyme, remaining 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest in a medium bowl. Mix together with your hands until lardo is fully coated in seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use or up to 36 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in bottom third of oven. Remove turkey from refrigerator, and blot with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Push seasoned lardo slices underneath turkey skin, covering breast meat with a single layer and placing remaining slices over thigh meat. Bend the turkey wings back at the elbow, and tuck them behind the back. Insert 1 lemon half into turkey cavity; add onion, thyme sprigs, smashed garlic cloves, and bay leaves. Insert remaining lemon half. Crisscross turkey legs at the ankles (the ends of the drumsticks), and tie together using kitchen twine. Rub turkey skin all over with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil.
4. Roast turkey in preheated oven 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and brush turkey with pan juices. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Return turkey to oven, and roast, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest portion of thigh registers 160°F and skin is crispy and dark golden brown, about 2 hours.
5. Remove turkey from oven, and transfer to a platter. Garnish with thyme sprigs, lemon halves, and bay leaves; let turkey rest 20 minutes before carving.