We've achieved perfect results following this recipe. One year we had 3 turkeys...one baked, one deep fried and one smoked. This was the clear winner and is our go-to recipe for a perfect baked turkey!
1 (14 to 16 pound)
frozen young turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown
sugar
1 gallon vegetable
stock
1 tablespoon black
peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice
berries
1/2 tablespoon
candied ginger
1 gallon iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil
Combine all brine
ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to
dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate
until thoroughly chilled.
Early on the day of
cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean
5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate
or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half
way through brining.
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 (or other neutral)
oil.
Roast on lowest
level of the oven at 500 degrees F. 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 F.
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
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil
Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
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 (or other neutral) oil.
Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. 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 F. 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
Comments