Brined Turkey
INGREDIENTS
For brining:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
A double-layer food-grade plastic garbage bag such as Glad brand
Ice & an ice chest (for bigger birds that don’t fit in the fridge)
2 1/2 gallons cold water
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
1 bunch fresh thyme, or 4 tablespoons dried
1 whole head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
5 whole allspice berries, crushed
4 juniper berries, smashed
For roasting & basting:
1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons of ground pepper
V-rack (to support the turkey)
Large turkey pan
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the water in a large non-reactive pot that can easily hold the liquid and the turkey.
Add all the ingredients and stir for a minute or two until the sugar and salt dissolve.
Put the turkey into the brine and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, depending on how salty you would like the taste. If the turkey floats to the top, cover it with plastic wrap and weight it down with a plate and cans to keep it completely submerged in the brine. Note: You may halve or double the recipe. (If the turkey is in an ice chest, smoosh out all the air pockets, close the bags and pack in the chest with ice; the important thing is to prepare enough brine to cover the turkey completely.)
Before roasting, remove the bird from the brine and drain well. Pat dry.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread 2 tablespoons of softened butter over the skin 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground pepper over the skin and in the cavity.
Tuck the wing tips under, truss the legs (cover them waluminumnium foil) and place the turkey on a v-shaped rack in a roasting pan.
Tent the breast with foil and place the turkey in the oven.
After about 1 hour, remove the foil and baste the turkey with 1/2 cup chicken stock. Re-baste it with pan drippings and more stock, if desired, every 20 minutes.
Start checking the internal temperature after about 1 1/2 hours of roasting time. If the legs begin to overbrown, cover them loosely with foil. Roast about 2-2 3/4 hours until the internal temperature measured in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees. When pricked with a fork, the juices should run clear.
Before carving let the turkey rest 20-30 minutes after taking it out of the oven; the internal temperature will continue to rise several degrees.
BEST WAY BIG BIRD
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare a 20- to 22-pound turkey as directed above, but double the amount of softened butter, salt and pepper.
Roast and baste (using about 1 cup of stock) according to the above directions.
Cover the legs with foil if they begin to overbrown.
Roast until the internal thigh temperature registers 165 degrees, about 3 1/2 hours.
BRINED TURKEY GRAVY
INGREDIENTS
Pan drippings from brined turkey
3 1/2-4 cups of turkey stock or chicken broth
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup flour
Herbs, wine, or pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Pan juices from a brined bird may be saltier than from an unbrined one, so you may not want to use all of them.
Strain the pan drippings from the turkey roasting pan into a freezer-proof container.
Cool the drippings, then freeze them so the fat will rise to the top and harden.
Meanwhile, combine equal amounts of unsalted butter and flour (about 1 cup of each).
Cook this roux over medium heat, stirring, until it begins to look grainy, about 3-4 minutes.
Heat about 3 1/2-4 cups of turkey stock or chicken broth or equal amounts of water and stock in a sauce pot.
Whisk in a bit of the roux and bring to a simmer to thicken.
Add more roux, whisking, until the gravy thickens as desired. (You may not need all the roux; any leftover can be refrigerated or frozen for later.)
Remove the pan drippings from the freezer and discard the hardened fat off the top.
Add the drippings to the gravy, a tablespoon at a time, to balance the seasonings.
Add herbs, wine or pepper to taste, as desired.
Bookmark this article!
