Starring not just turkey, duck, and chicken, but also quail and Cornish game hen, this towering turducken has five times the flavor. Roast this holiday showstopper low and slow to cook the center layer fully while keeping the outer meat nice and tender. Note: You may not see the smaller birds in every slice, so carve accordingly!

Preparation

Begin by deboning all five birds, being careful to keep the skin intact. First, place the turkey breast-side up and locate the wishbone at the neck cavity. Slide your knife along both sides and pull it free. Flip the bird breast-side down and use your knife to slice through the skin and flesh straight down the length of the backbone from head to tail. Scrape the meat away from the rib cage, hugging the bone closely with your knife to get it all.

Working downward, pop the wing and thigh joints out of their sockets, then cut through the surrounding cartilage to separate them from the main carcass. Separate the breast meat from the bone, being careful not too cut too deep or rip the skin, then lift the main skeleton out of the flattened meat and discard.

To debone the wings and legs, slice into the meat along the thigh and leg bones to expose them, then scrape the meat down to the joint knuckles, snap the bone ends, and pull out the bones. Repeat with remaining poultry.

Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and thyme, then generously rub the flesh side of each bird with the spice blend.

To assemble, lay the turkey out flat, skin-side down, on a clean workspace. Sprinkle an even a layer of starch all over the internal cavity. Place the seasoned duck flat in the center of the turkey, then sprinkle starch all over the exposed duck. Lay the seasoned chicken flat in the center of the duck, sprinkling with an even layer of starch. Place the seasoned Cornish game hen flat in the center of the chicken and sprinkle with an even layer of starch. And finally, lay the seasoned quail flat in the center of the Cornish game hen.

Pull the two sides of the turkey skin together over the mound of meat, then use a trussing needle and butcher's twine to sew the turkey carcass completely shut from neck to tail with stitches about 1 inch wide. Tie a knot at the base to hold everything together, then flip turducken breast-side up into your roasting pan rack.

Rub the entire exterior turkey skin with the softened butter and dust with additional rub seasoning.

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Insert a digital thermometer probe through the top and into the center of the quail layer. Tent loosely with foil and place in the oven.

Bake for 5–6 hours, or about 25–30 minutes per pound of total weight. Baste the exterior skin with the pan drippings once every hour. Remove the foil during the last 45 minutes of roasting so the skin may crisp and color. Remove the turducken from the oven when the thermometer registers 165°F.

Let the turducken rest undisturbed in the pan for 30–45 minutes to help it keep its shape when carved. After resting, carefully remove the butcher's twine, then slice crosswise down the breast to serve.