Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Brine:
2 cups kosher salt
water to cover turkey
Injected Marinade:
Cajun Creole butter
5 tablespoon(s) melted butter
1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh marjoram
1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh oregano
Cavity stuffing:
2 large onions, quartered
4 carrots, quartered
4 stalks quartered
2 oranges, quartered
2 apples, quartered
2 sprigs fresh thyme
4 bay leaves
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 (18-pound) whole turkey, thawed if frozen, rinsed and patted dry
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Rub the turkey inside and out with kosher salt. Place turkey 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.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the lowest position.
3. Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.
4. In a small bowl, mix together butter and chopped herbs.
5. Loosen skin by working from the neck end, slide fingers under skin until you reach the end of the breast, being careful not to tear the skin. Make three Injections of marinade into each breast under the skin. Inject each thigh with marinade in two places.
6. Rub herb butter under the skin when done with marinade injections.
7. Brush the turkey with the remaining herb butter. Season generously with salt and pepper.
8. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1/2 of the cavity stuffing. (Don't over stuff) Scatter the remaining stuffing around the bottom of the roasting pan.
9. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Roast 1 hour, then baste every 30 minutes with pan liquids, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 125 degrees, about 3 hours.
10. Remove foil; raise oven heat to 400 degrees. Continue roasting, basting occasionally, until thigh reaches 180 degrees, 45 to 60 minutes more. Tent with foil if bird browns too quickly; add more water if pan becomes dry.
11. Transfer turkey to a serving platter; cover loosely with foil, and let it rest at least 30 minutes before carving. |
This recipe for Thanksgiving Roasted Turkey with Herb Butter is from