Ingredients: |
Ingredients:
1 (14 to 16 lb) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 T black peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp allspice berries
1 1/2 tsp chopped candied ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 sage leaves
Canola oil
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Directions: |
Directions:2 to 3 days before roasting:
Begin thawing turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 º 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 & bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature and refrigerate.
The night before you would like to eat:
Combine the brine, water and ice in a 5 gallon bucket (or cooler). Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in the brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover and refrigerate for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through the brining.
Preheat the oven to 500º F. Remove the bird from the brine and rinse inside & out with cold water. Discard the brine.
Place the bird on a roasting rack inside a half sheet pan & pat dry with paper towels.
Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe disband microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add the steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the Rosemary & sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
Roast the turkey on the lowest level of the oven at 500 º F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast & reduce the oven temperature to 350º. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161º F. A 14 to 16 lb bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil for 15 minutes before carving. |
This recipe for Pete's "Good Eats Roast Turkey" is from