Email to wiccadwoman      

Recipe Categories: wiccadwoman's HOME PAGE4THofJULY ABM ALCOHOLICdrinks APPETIZERS BAZAAR BBQ BEANS BEVERAGES BREAD BREADSFORDINNER BREAKFAST BROWNIESandBARS CAJUNandCREOLE CAKEMIXreciipes CAKES CAMPING CANDY CANNING CASSEROLES CASTiron CELTIC CHEESEBALLS CHEESECAKES CHILI CHINESE CHRISTMAS CHURCH CITRUS39ADES39 CLAYPOT COFFEEcakes COFFEErecipes CONDIMENTS COOKIEPRESScookies COOKIES COOKIESfromCAKEMIXES COOKINGfor2 CRACKERS CRAFTS CROCKPOT CROCKPOTappetizers CROCKPOTbeverages CROCKPOTbreakfast CROCKPOTdesserts CROCKPOTsides CROCKPOTsoups_stewsandchilis CROWDcooking DANISHrecipes DAYbeforePAYDAY DESSERTS DESSERTtoppings DIABETIC DIETS DIPPEDchocolates DIPS DRIEDfoods EASTER EDIBLEFLOWERS EGGS ETHNIC FAMILYfavoritesTNT FLAVOREDoilsandvinegars FONDUES FOODstorage FREEZERfare FrenchToast FROSTINGSandICINGS FRUIT FUDGE GARDENING georgeFORMANgrill GIFTSfrommyKITCHEN GIFTSinaJAR GRAVIES GREEK GROUNDbeef HALLOWEEN HEALTHYsnacks HOTBEVERAGES HOUSEHOLD ICECREAMandSORBETSetc ITALIAN JAMSandJELLIES JAPANESE JELLOSALADS JonesFamily KIDS LAMB LEFTOVERS LOWCARB LOWFAT LUNCH MadHungryTV MAINdishPIES MAINENTREES MAKEyourOWN MARINADES MARINADESandRUBS MEDICINAL MENUS MEXICAN MICROWAVE MOMandDAD MOVIEnights MUFFINS myFAVORITES NONEDIBLES PAMPEREDchef PANCAKESandWAFFLES PASTA PASTRIES PETS PICNICFARE PIES PIZZAS POPCORN PORK POTATOsides POTlucks POULTRY POUNDcakes PPFM PRESSUREcooker QUICKandEASY QUICKandEASYdesserts QUICKbreads RAMEN RECIPESFORALEC RECIPESforBRIANNA RecipesforGordon RECIPESforGORDON RECIPESforJORDYN RECIPESforME RECIPESforSEAN RECIPEsites RICE SALADandDRESSING SALADandDRESSINGSII SANDWICHES SANDWICHmachine SANDWICHshop SAUCES SCONES SCOTTISH SEAFOOD SEASONINGS SHAKESandMALTS SIDES SKEWERSandKABOBS SKILLETS SLEEPovers Slushies SMOOTHIESetc SNACKS SOUPSandSTEWS SPECIALoccasions SPECIALTIES SPREADS SQUASHrecipes STPATTYS SUMMERdishes SUNDAYDINNER SYRUPS TEAparty TEAS THANKSGIVING TIPSandHINTS TRUFFLES VALENTINES VEGETABLES VEGETARIAN VITAMIXrecipes wedding whfoodscom WINGS WW WWpointcharts ZUCCHINI zzSTUFFzz

Roasted Salt-Brined Turkey




Source of Recipe


rgm


List of Ingredients




Brine
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/3 cup brown sugar (optional)
1 gallon cold water
1 (12 pound) turkey with neck, wing tips, heart
and gizzard reserved for Giblet Gravy



Recipe



In a large stockpot, dissolve the salt and brown sugar (if using) in the cold water. Add the turkey and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry inside and out with paper towels.

NOTE: You can add any combination of herbs and spices you desire to the brine solution: juniper berries, bay leaves, black pepper, thyme, cloves, allspice, etc.

Roast as per instructions below or roast using your favorite method.

Turkey
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 large onion, quartered
2 celery ribs, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 bunch of thyme sprigs
4 sage sprigs
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 bay leaves
6 thick slices bacon
1 quart chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
Giblet Gravy

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a small bowl, blend the butter with the orange juice, lemon juice, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub the turkey inside and out with the butter. Fill the cavity with the onion, celery, thyme sprigs, sage sprigs, garlic and bay leaves. Truss the bird tightly and transfer it to a rack set in a roasting pan. Arrange the bacon slices over the breast and pour 2 cups of the stock into the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey in the oven for 45 minutes, then baste with 1 cup of the stock. Roast the turkey for 1 1/2 hours longer, basting with the pan juices every 20 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup of stock to the pan and roast the turkey for about 1 hour and 50 minutes longer, basting every 15 minutes with the pan juices. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F; if the bacon is very dark, remove it from the breast. Transfer the turkey to a carving board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for at least 20 minutes.

Pour the pan juices into a glass measure or bowl and skim off the fat. Strain the juices into the Giblet Gravy and reheat if necessary.

Carve the turkey and serve with Giblet Gravy.