Recipes

Always Juicy Herb Roasted Turkey

Always Juicy Herb Roasted Turkey

Ingredients

2 gallons of bottled spring water
1 cup of kosher salt
1 cup of brown sugar
2 tbs of black peppercorns
2 lg sprigs of thyme
2 lg sprigs of rosemary
4 bay leaves
We look forward to the cooking the special turkey during the holiday season. If you follow a few simple steps this recipe will guarantee you a perfect golden juicy, savory bird every time. One of the keys to a juicy turkey is to brine it before cooking. The challenge for most home cooks is having enough room in their refrigerators to accomplish this task. A simple solution to this problem is after heating the brine solution on the stove top, place it in the refrigerator to cool completely. You may want to make the brine solution one day prior to brineing the turkey. Place your turkey in a medium sized thermos cooler and add the brineing solution. Place some pre-frozen re- freezable ice packs in the solution with the turkey and cover (4 or 5 should do). You may also use ice cubes placed in zip locked bags. Keep the cover on the cooler closed as much as possible. Check water temp every 2 hours and add more ice if necessary.The objective is to keep the brineing temperature at 35 degrees without diluting the solution. . Keep the bird in the brine for 8 hours. This recipe is for a 12 to 15 lb bird.


Brine:

  • Place ingredients in a large stock pot and bring to a boil,  stirring to make sure that the salt and sugar are completely dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and bring to room temperature. Once at room temperature put brineing solution in refrigerator overnight to cool completely.
  • Wash the turkey thoroughly and add it to cooled brineing solution and follow the directions in the introduction. After 8 hours remove bird from solution and rinse thoroughly and pat dry, inside and out..

Turkey:

  • 12 to 15 lb turkey preferable fresh not frozen at room temperature
  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter softened
  •  1 onion quartered
  • 2 celery stalks cut into 3 inch lengths
  • 4 large sprigs of thyme
  • 4 large sprigs of rosemary
  • 1 small bunch of parsley leaves (curly or Italian)
  • 2 tbs rubbed sage of chopped sage leaves
  • 1 large lemon halved
  • Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

 

  • Finely chop Rosemary, thyme, sage and parsley and  mix with the softened butter. Mix well.
  • rub the lemon over turkey then salt and pepper the entire bird inside and out.
  • Place the onion, celery and squeezed lemon inside the bird
  • Trust the bird with butcher twine or just tie the drum sticks together to help turkey maintain its shape.
  • With your hand push between the skin and breast meat and make a pocket. Rub half of the mixed herb butter on each breast of the bird.
  • Rub the other half of the butter all over the outside of the bird.
  • Add a couple of onions, carrots and celery to the roasting pan along with about 2 cups of water.
  • Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan and place in 350 to 375 degree pre-heated oven.
  • The turkey should roast for 20 minutes per pound and add and an extra 20 minutes.
  • To test doneness place an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast it should register 165 degrees.
  • Let turkey cool then carve.
  • Use the pan drippings to make a gravy.

 

Servings

8

Prep

8 min

Cook

20 min

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    Skill Level

    Easy