Growing popular is several alternative methods for preparing turkeys. Dedicated roasters are becoming popular again and the deep frying craze continues. There is an older, often overlooked method of preparing turkey known as brining. People who are used to this will find the recipe no stranger but, I’ve added a few techniques that I think work well. Your results may vary slightly. You can use this recipe for any poultry that you wish, change your temperatures and cooking times for the type of bird you are preparing.
Remember, as with all poultry, great care should be taken to preserve cleanliness. Obviously, hands, surfaces, utensils… all should be washed with detergent and hot water to take care of nasty bacteria that is ever present.
Click “MORE” below for recipe:
1 (14-16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine prep:
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 vegetable bullion (or chicken).
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
4 quarts water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves of sage
Canola oil
Two nights before: Combine sugar, bullion and peppercorns in a stock pot. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Late in the evening before the day of cooking: Fill a clean 5 gallon bucket with the stock made earlier and enough water to cover the turkey with about an inch left over. Dip the turkey to check the amount of water you’ll need for this. Add 1 cup of kosher salt for each gallon of water. Stir the water to dissolve the salt and add your ice.
Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) overnight.
Turn turkey over once or twice through brining process.
A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees.
Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.
Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels.
Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage.
Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola, peanut, or other neutral oil.
Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees.
Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting.
Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings