Recipes

Brined and Roasted Turkey

Bird is the word. When it comes to perfect turkey preparation, brine not? This great-tasting recipe is certain to be a feather in your cap. One bite and your family is sure to flock to this great-tasting staple whenever it's turkey time.
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Cuisine Continental
Servings 8 servings
Calories 15106.68 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 3/4 teaspoon(s) bay leaves
  • 3 teaspoon(s) black peppercorns
  • 3/8 ounce(s) fresh rosemary (3 sprigs)
  • 3 teaspoon(s) fresh thyme (3 springs)
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) fresh sage (3 springs
  • 1 tablespoon(s) fresh Italian parsley (6 sprigs)
  • 24 teaspoon(s) iodized salt
  • 384 floz cold water
  • 256 ounce(s) (16 lb.) whole turkey, brined (neck and giblets removed and discarded)
  • 1 dash(es) salt
  • 1 dash(es) pepper
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
  • 1 apple, sliced into wedges
  • 1 orange, sliced into wedges
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and whole
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, whole
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) fresh sage
  • 3/8 ounce(s) fresh rosemary
  • 3 teaspoon(s) fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon(s) fresh Italian parsley
  • 3/4 teaspoon(s) bay leaves
  • 4 ounce(s) unsalted butter, sliced into pats
  • 5 cup(s) chicken stock or chicken broth, divided

Instructions
 

  • BRINING TURKEY: ONE DAY BEFORE baking turkey, prepare brine.
  • Combine all the brine ingredients.
  • Place the turkey in a bucket or very large pot and pour brine over turkey to submerge.
  • Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
  • Remove turkey from brine; dry off turkey with paper towels.
  • Discard brine.
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  • Brine turkey as instructed above.
  • Salt and pepper the brined turkey and cavity.
  • Fill the cavity with carrots, celery, apple, orange, and garlic; bind the legs with kitchen twine.
  • In a large roasting or braising pan (or disposable aluminum pan), spread onion, carrot, celery, garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley and bay leaves.
  • Place the turkey on top of the bed of vegetables and herbs.
  • Put butter on turkey, or between skin and breast meat.
  • Place the turkey in the oven and roast 45 minutes.
  • Pour half the chicken stock over the turkey; roast 45 minutes.
  • Pour remaining stock over the turkey and roast 45 more minutes; it will start turning golden brown.
  • Baste with pan juices, cover loosely with foil and roast an additional 45 minutes.
  • When the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 165 to 175 degrees, remove from oven, keep covered, and let rest at least 10 minutes before carving.
  • Transfer to platter.
  • TO MAKE SIMPLE GRAVY: From the bottom of the roasting pan, discard herbs and measure out 1 cup of vegetables and 3 cups of pan juices; puree in blender.
  • To thicken, add more vegetables; to thin add more pan juice.
  • Pour through a mesh strainer to make a smooth gravy.
  • TIP: For silken gravy, forget the flour. Avoid using flour, because that's usually what causes lumps. Instead, puree the vegetables you roast along with your turkey; they become your thickening agent. That, along with your pan juices, becomes your gravy. You can strain it through a mesh strainer, or use cream and reduce it.

Nutrition

Calories: 15106.68kcalCarbohydrates: 120.6gProtein: 2103.52gFat: 627.61gSaturated Fat: 220.66gCholesterol: 8146.13mgSodium: 67341.24mgFiber: 28.11gSugar: 49.94g
Keyword Butter, Carrots, Dinner Parties, Seasonal, Thanksgiving
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