Turkey Recipes

• 1 whole turkey, thawed up to 20 lbs
• 1/4 cup olive oil or 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Perfect Turkey In An Electric Roaster Oven

Whole Turkey

Author: Squirrel Gone Wild

I Never Found Good Information On Making A Great Whole Roasted Turkey In An Electric Roaster Oven And Thought I'd Share My Tried And True Tips For Making Your Holiday Turkey Moist And Beautiful And Delicious! I've Read That Roaster Ovens Effectively 'steam' The Turkey Making The Meat Come Out ... Well, Steamed. This Is Not True. Follow These Tips And Your Holiday Turkey Will Get Rave Reviews!

Time: 4h20m

Yield: 1 Turkey, 18 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients: 5

• Take the insert pan out of the roaster and pre-heat the roaster to its highest setting. On mine it's 450, but use 500 if your oven goes that high.
• Do not wash the turkey! The USDA says that washing it could cause a spread of salmonella poisoning. Sprinkle salt in the cavities. Stuff if desired. Don't pre-stuff your turkey; mix and stuff ingredients immediately before roasting. Tossing in a few pieces of cut fruit or herbs is not considered 'stuffing.' Stuffing usually means filling up the cavity with about ¾ cup stuffing per pound of turkey.
• Rub the entire bird with olive oil or butter. Doctor up your bird with whatever special seasonings you wish. I always use poultry seasoning. Finish with a good sprinkle of seasoning salt and black pepper.
• I highly recommend using a wired thermometer so you can watch the temperature without lifting the lid. Your turkey will be done much earlier than the estimated cook time, so keep a sharp eye on that thermometer. If using a pop-up turkey plug type thermometer, those little pop-ups stick sometimes so you should really use two of them.
• Put the rack into the insert pan and make sure the handles are up, not tucked below. Put the bird in the insert pan on top of the rack. Don't add water to the pan. Put the insert pan back into the roasting pan. If your roaster doesn't have an insert pan, it's ok - just be very careful putting the bird into that hot oven, you don't want to burn your hands on the sides of the oven! Cover.
• Roast at highest setting for 30 minutes. The butter/oil, seasonings and the searing time will make the skin beautifully browned and perfect!
• After 30 minutes, turn the oven temperature down to 325.
• The turkey will self-baste if you do not lift the lid, so you don't have to baste it every 20 minutes like you do in your conventional oven. DO NOT LIFT LID during cooking time! Lifting the lid will increase cooking time because roaster ovens lose their heat unlike regular ovens. I've read that roaster ovens effectively 'steam' the turkey making the meat come out -- well, steamed. This is not true as you will find out. Similar to the roasted chickens you can get at your supermarket, the bird will come out moist and perfectly roasted. Why do you think they call it a Roaster Oven?.
• Figure your total cooking time from the time you first put the bird in the roaster. The Butterball website has a great calculator:.
• http://www.butterball.com/calculators-and-conversions.
• FINAL TEMPERATURE FOR SAFETY AND DONENESS IS: 180 DEGREES IN THIGH AND 165 DEGREES IN BREAST AND STUFFING. Juices should be clear, not pink.
• Check your turkey EARLY. Really start watching the temp an hour before it's supposed to be done. Your turkey will almost certainly be done before the suggested cooking time. Watch your wired meat thermometer. If using a pop-up turkey plug type thermometer, check by lifting the lid quickly so the oven doesn't lose its heat. If necessary, check after another 30 minutes, but I doubt you'll have to do that. I say check after 30 minutes because it's really OK to let the bird roast a little extra - you won't dry it out using my method if you let it go for 1/2 hour.
• When done, remove the turkey from the roaster, tent with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. This allows the juices to really seep into the meat, so they say.
• If you try this method, please let us know your results!
• Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Calories 482.9, Fat 25.9, SaturatedFat 6.9, Cholesterol 193.8, Sodium 185.3, Carbohydrate 0.1, Protein 58.2

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Salt and freshly milled black pepper
• 2 1/2 quarts homemade turkey stock or canned reduced-sodium chicken broth
• Melted unsalted butter, if needed
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup bourbon, port, or dry sherry, optional
• 1 (18-pound) fresh turkey
• About 12 cups of your favorite stuffing

Perfect Roast Turkey With Best-ever Gravy

main-dish

Author: Food Network

Time: 6h

Yield: 18 servings with about 7 cups

Number Of Ingredients: 8

• Position a rack in the lowest position of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Reserve the turkey neck and giblets to use in gravy or stock. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. Pat the turkey skin dry. Turn the turkey on its breast. Loosely fill the neck cavity with stuffing. Using a thin wooden or metal skewer, pin the neck skin to the back. Fold the turkey's wings akimbo behind the back or tie to the body with kitchen string. Loosely fill the large body cavity with stuffing. Place any remaining stuffing in a lightly buttered casserole, cover and refrigerate to bake as a side dish. Place the drumsticks in the hock lock or tie together with kitchen string.
• Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Rub all over with the softened butter. Season with salt and pepper. Tightly cover the breast area with aluminum foil. Pour 2 cups of the turkey stock into the bottom of the pan.
• Roast the turkey, basting all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan (lift up the foil to reach the breast area), until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh (but not touching the bone) reads 180 degrees and the stuffing is at least 160 degrees, about 4 1/2 hours. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 1/2 cups at a time. Remove the foil during the last hour to allow the skin to brown.
• Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter and let it stand for at least 20 minutes before carving. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Drizzle 1/2 cup turkey stock over the stuffing in the casserole, cover, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a heatproof glass bowl or large measuring cup. Let stand for 5 minutes, then skim off and reserve the clear yellow fat that has risen to the top. Measure 3/4 cup fat, adding melted butter if needed. Add enough turkey stock to the skimmed drippings to make 8 cups total.
• Place the roasting pan on two stove burners over low heat and add the turkey fat. Whisk in the flour, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the turkey stock and the optional bourbon. Cook, whisking often, until the gravy has thickened and no trace of raw flour remains, about 5 minutes. Transfer the gravy to a warmed gravy boat. Carve the turkey and serve the gravy and the stuffing alongside

• One 20- to 21-pound fresh whole turkey, giblets and neck removed from cavity and reserved
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• One 750-ml bottle dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• Classic Stuffing
• 1 cup dry red or white wine, for gravy (optional)
• Giblet Stock

Perfect Roast Turkey 101

Food & Cooking , Ingredients , Meat & Poultry , Turkey Recipes

Author: Martha Stewart

This Recipe Yields A Plump And Regal Roast Turkey, With Crisp, Golden-brown Skin And An Aroma To Match.

Number Of Ingredients: 8

• Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
• Place rack on lowest level in oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, 4-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; an instant-read thermometer is a much more accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity and neck cavity loosely with as much stuffing as they hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
• Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
• After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
• After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 180 degrees (stuffing should be between 140 degrees and 160 degrees) and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
• When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup. Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan. Add giblet stock to pan. Stir well, and bring back to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more. You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy. Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.

• 1 fresh turkey (12 to 14 pounds)
• 4 tablespoons Dry Brine, recipe follows
• 2 onions
• 8 to 10 branches fresh woody herbs (combination of sage, rosemary or thyme)
• 2 heads garlic, halved crosswise
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 tablespoons, cut into pieces
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 quart chicken stock
• Ground black pepper
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground fennel seed
• 2 teaspoons ground sage

Perfect Roast Turkey And Gravy

main-dish

Author: James Briscione

Time: 14h30m

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients: 19

• Twelve to 24 hours before cooking the turkey, remove the giblets and dry the turkey inside and out with paper towels. Rub the Dry Brine on all sides of the turkey, completely seasoning the exterior as well as the interior cavity. Place the turkey in a pan inside the refrigerator overnight.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• When ready to cook, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and pat dry with paper towels. Cut one of the onions into quarters. Place the onion quarters, herbs and one head of the garlic inside the turkey. Tie the legs together with a single piece of string and tuck the wings under the body.
• Chop the remaining onion. Combine the chopped onion, carrots, celery and remaining garlic in a large roasting pan. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan.
• Brush the entire surface of the turkey with the melted butter and sprinkle lightly with salt. Pour any remaining melted butter over the vegetables in the base of the pan. Place the turkey in the oven to roast on the center rack with the legs towards the back wall of the oven.
• After 45 minutes, remove the turkey from the oven and set on the stovetop. Carefully tilt the pan to one side and use a ladle to baste the butter over the breast of the turkey. Return the turkey to the oven, this time with the breast toward the back wall of the oven. Continue basting and rotating the turkey every 45 minutes until done. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F, 2 1/2 to 3 hours total. If at any point during the cooking the skin of the breast becomes too dark, cover the breast with aluminum foil and continue cooking to doneness.
• When the turkey is done, remove to a cooling rack to rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
• To make the gravy, place the roasting pan on the stovetop. Turn the heat beneath the roasting pan to medium. Cook the vegetables, stirring constantly, until the butter remaining in the pan is translucent, up to 6 minutes. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the butter, if necessary. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until a thick paste forms. Pour in the wine, stirring well and scraping the bottom of the pan to release any brown bits that remain stuck to the pan. Add the chicken stock and continue stirring until the stock reaches a simmer. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until flavorful and thickened to your liking.
• Transfer the entire gravy mixture to a saucepot and bring back to a simmer. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper and strain the gravy into a serving container. Serve with the carved turkey.
• Combine the salt, sugar, garlic powder, pepper, fennel and sage in an airtight container and shake to thoroughly combine. Keeps for up to 6 months.

• 1/4 lb unsalted butter
• 1 lemon, juice and zest of
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leave
• 1 (10 lb) fresh turkey
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 whole lemon, halved
• 1 Spanish onion, quartered
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise

Perfect Roast Turkey

main-dish , Whole Turkey

Author: Fauve

I First Tried This Recipe For Thanksgiving This Year, And May I Assure You, The Name Is More Than Fitting! Tender, Juicy, Fragrant And, Yes, Perfect! I Don't Think I've Ever Smelled A More Heavenly Smell From My Kitchen. I'm Sure I'll Be Making This Turkey Recipe For My Family's Big Holidays From Now On.

Time: 2h30m

Yield: 12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients: 10

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
• Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture.
• Set aside.
• Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out.
• Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry.
• Place the turkey in a large roasting pan.
• Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity.
• Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic.
• Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
• Roast the turkey at 350 F about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh.
• Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
• Slice the turkey and serve.

Calories 686.6, Fat 38.1, SaturatedFat 13.4, Cholesterol 277.6, Sodium 248.3, Carbohydrate 3.3, Fiber 0.4, Sugar 0.7, Protein 77.8

• 1 (18 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
• 2 cups kosher salt
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup dry white wine

Perfect Turkey

Meat and Poultry Recipes , Turkey , Whole Turkey Recipes

Author: Shelly White

A Perfectly Seasoned And Juicy Turkey. My Friend From France Taught Me To Cook Turkey Like This, But She Never Measures Anything So Use Your Own Judgment For Vegetable Amounts, Etc. I Usually Err On The Side Of 'more Is Better'!

Time: 17h

Yield: 24

Number Of Ingredients: 9

• Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt. Place the bird in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.
• Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.
• Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

Calories 593.8 calories, Carbohydrate 1.6 g, Cholesterol 241.9 mg, Fat 31.2 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 69.8 g, SaturatedFat 10.1 g, Sodium 7846 mg, Sugar 0.7 g

• 1 (18 pound) whole turkey
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 ½ quarts turkey stock
• 8 cups prepared stuffing

A Simply Perfect Roast Turkey

Meat and Poultry Recipes , Turkey , Whole Turkey Recipes

Author: Syd

Simple, Perfect Roast Turkey Just Like Grandma Used To Make. Seasoned With Salt And Pepper, And Basted With Turkey Stock, The Flavors Of The Turkey Really Stand Out. Stuff With Your Favorite Dressing.

Time: 4h30m

Yield: 24

Number Of Ingredients: 5

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place rack in the lowest position of the oven.
• Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing. Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Position an aluminum foil tent over the turkey.
• Place turkey in the oven, and pour 2 cups turkey stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 to 2 cups at a time. Remove aluminum foil after 2 1/2 hours. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (75 degrees C), about 4 hours.
• Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

Calories 662.6 calories, Carbohydrate 13.7 g, Cholesterol 211.4 mg, Fat 33.8 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 72.2 g, SaturatedFat 10.4 g, Sodium 709.5 mg, Sugar 2 g

• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion (1 medium)
• 1/4 cup uncooked instant white or brown rice
• 1/4 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
• 1 egg, lightly beaten, or 1/4 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product
• 1 teaspoon salt, if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 can (16 oz) jellied cranberry sauce
• 1/2 cup water

Turkey Meatballs In Cranberry Sauce

appetizer

Author: By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Looking For A Hearty Appetizer Recipe? Then Check Out These Turkey Meatballs Served In Cranberry Sauce - Ready In Just 35 Minutes!

Time: 35m

Yield: 15

Number Of Ingredients: 9

• In medium bowl, mix all ingredients except cranberry sauce and water. Shape mixture into about 45 (1-inch) balls.
• Heat 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs; cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until thermometer inserted in center of meatballs reads 165°F.
• Gently stir in cranberry sauce and water. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until cranberry sauce is melted and smooth.

Calories 110, Carbohydrate 15 g, Cholesterol 35 mg, Fiber 0 g, Protein 7 g, SaturatedFat 1/2 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 50 mg, Sugar 11 g, TransFat 0 g

• 3 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rubbed sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 1/4 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice berries
• 1 13 to 14 pound whole turkey, neck and giblets removed and reserved for Giblet Stock
• 1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound red onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 ounces medium Brussels sprouts, shredded on the thin slicing blade of a food processor
• 8 ounces hearty sourdough or multigrain bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and staled
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Butterflied, Dry Brined Roasted Turkey With Roasted Root Vegetable Panzanella

main-dish

Author: Alton Brown

Time: P4DT3h5m

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients: 16

• For the turkey: Four days before service, place the salt, sage, thyme, black peppercorns, and allspice into a spice grinder and pulse until the peppercorns and allspice are coarsely ground, 5 to 6 pulses. Set aside.
• Set the turkey, breast-side down, on a large cutting board with the tail closest to you. Use an electric knife or heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut up one side of the backbone. Turn the bird around and cut back down the other side of the spine. Reserve the backbone for Giblet Stock. Discard any fat pockets or excess skin found inside the turkey. Turn the turkey breast-side up and use the heel of your hands to press down on both breasts, until you hear a cracking sound and the bird has flattened slightly.
• Rub the seasoned salt on both sides of the turkey. Place the turkey on a parchment paper lined half sheet pan, breast-side up with legs running with the long side of the pan. Store, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 4 days.
• Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave at room temperature for 1 hour.
• For the panzanella: Place the parsnips and rutabaga in a large nonstick roasting pan, toss with vegetable oil and set aside.
• Place one rack in the middle of the oven and a second one far enough below so the roasting pan will fit. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the turkey directly on the middle rack of the oven with the legs perpendicular to the metal bars of the rack.
• Place the roasting pan with the parsnips and rutabaga on the rack below the turkey and roast both for 30 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. Add the red onion to the roasting vegetables and stir to combine. Continue to roast both the vegetables and the turkey until a probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155 degrees F, an additional 40 to 50 minutes.
• Remove the turkey from the oven onto a cooling rack set inside a half sheet pan and rest for 30 minutes.
• Add the Brussels sprouts, bread cubes and garlic to the roasting vegetables, stir to combine and roast for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the oven and immediately transfer to a serving bowl. Pour the apple cider vinegar in the warm roasting pan, stir and scrape off any browned bits from the pan. Pour the vinegar mixture over the salad, add the thyme and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Carve the turkey with an electric knife and serve with the panzanella.

• 1 (14 -16 lb) whole turkey, frozen
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 gallon vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
• 1 gallon water, heavily iced
• 1 red apple, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup water
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 6 leaves sage
• canola oil

Alton Brown's Brined Turkey

Whole Turkey

Author: Tinkerbell

A Salt Water Brine Changes The Cellular Structure Of The Turkey And Allows It To Both Hold In The Moisture, As Well As Pull The Seasonings Deep Into The Meat. It's Actually A Very Simple Process That Will Yield Beautiful And Delicious Results. My Mom Told Me How Good Alton's Recipe Was And That She Was Going To Repeat It Again This Year. I Decided To Try It Myself. It's, Hands-down, The Best Roasted Turkey We've Ever Had. The Brine And Aromatics Create An Amazing Symphony Of Flavors That Starts With The Aroma Of Making The Brine And Follows Right Through To The Rich, Full Gravy. I've Also Used This Recipe On A Whole Fresh Chicken By Halving The Recipe And Adjusting The Cooking Times.

Time: P2DT3h

Yield: 12-14 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients: 15

• 2 to 3 days before roasting:.
• Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.
• Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
• The night before you'd like to eat:.
• Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
• Place the bird on rack of roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels.
• Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
• Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and cover the breast with a foil triangle. Then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Calories 666.1, Fat 31.1, SaturatedFat 8.8, Cholesterol 263.4, Sodium 9696, Carbohydrate 12, Fiber 0.6, Sugar 10.7, Protein 79.3