Even for those of us who love cooking and entertaining, the pressure of preparing the "perfect" holiday meal can be a little stressful. One of the keys to avoiding a turkey fowl-up (sorry, it was sitting right there!) is planning ahead. Start with an organized shopping list and game plan (allowing enough time for thawing, brining, etc.). Below, I've provided step-by-step instructions for preparing a deliciously tender brined and buttered turkey.
And for all the list-makers and checker-offers like me, I've created some handy-dandy printables I hope you find helpful!
Grocery Shopping
Click on the image below for a printable version of the COMPLETE shopping list. It includes all necessary ingredients to brine, stuff (with aromatics), and roast a 10-12 pound turkey. Ingredients for pan gravy are also included. Slightly increase ingredients and adjust cooking time if using a larger turkey. NOTE: As a general rule of thumb, 1 to 1-1/2 pounds of turkey per adult is plenty, and then on top of that add the desired amount of leftovers.
If using a fresh bird, skip this step. If your turkey is frozen, thaw on a baking sheet in the refrigerator (keep sealed in original wrapper). *Allow 24 hours for every 5 pounds.
Brining the Turkey
Brine Ingredients:
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1-1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 scant teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 onion, diced
Remove turkey from wrapper and remove interior bags. Rinse turkey thoroughly under cold water. Place turkey in a very large stockpot (canning pot, if you have one) or a brining bag. Combine brine ingredients with 7 quarts cold water and pour over turkey (add extra water if necessary to completely cover the turkey. Cover pot or seal bag tightly and refrigerate for at least 24 hours (up to 2 days).
Roasting the Turkey
On Thanksgiving Day, remove turkey from brine and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Discard the brine. Place turkey breast-side up in a roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature.
Position oven rack in the lowest position and preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Butter the Turkey: Mix 4 tablespoons softened butter with 1-1/2 teaspoon salt and 1-1/2 teaspoon pepper. Rub mixture all over the turkey and under the skin.
Aromatics:
Gently toss together below ingredients and loosely pack into cavity of turkey.
1 red apple, cored and sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
6 sprigs rosemary
1 bay leaf
Tuck wings under and tie the drumsticks together with twine. For an alternative method of trussing turkey, see this post.
Melt 1-1/2 sticks butter and combine with 1-1/2 cups dry white wine. Dip cheesecloth in butter-wine mixture so that it becomes very damp. Squeeze it slightly and place it on top of turkey breast.
Roast turkey for 30 minutes in 450 degree oven. Remove from oven and baste cheesecloth and any exposed parts with butter-wine mixture (cheesecloth will brown).
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Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to cook for approximately 1-1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes (with butter-mixture and/or pan drippings).
After turkey has cooked for 1-1/2 hours at 350 degrees, remove from oven and discard cheesecloth. Baste turkey with pan drippings and roast for another hour, basting after 30 minutes.
Check for Doneness: Turkey is ready when a thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 165 degrees F (make sure thermometer is not touching bone). When turkey has reached proper temperature, transfer to a serving platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest* for 30 minutes before carving. Reserve pan juices to make gravy.
*While the turkey roasts, the internal juices are forced to the center (away from the outside that is directly exposed to heat). Resting allows those juices to re-distribute throughout the turkey. If carved too soon, all of the juices will escape, leaving your turkey undesirably dry.
Preparing the Gravy
Gravy Ingredients:
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon finely minced onion
1 clove garlic, smashed into paste
1 sprig rosemary, minced
1 sprig thyme leaves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pour pan drippings into a glass measuring cup. Let stand until fat separates and rises to top. Skim off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Combine pan drippings with chicken broth and set aside. Add the reserved 2 tablespoons fat to the roasting pan and place over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic paste, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper. Heat for about 3 minutes.
Mash together the butter and flour, creating a paste (set aside).
When pan drippings are heated, add chicken broth and loosen up any browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and whisk in the butter-flour mixture. Boil until liquid reduces and thickens into a gravy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and add salt and pepper, to taste.
This turkey is delicious! Brad has to work on Thanksgiving this year, so we celebrated over the weekend. I will be preparing this turkey again on Thursday for my family's dinner. I hope you will try it too!! Here is a printable version of the step-by-step instructions.
love people. make them good food.
Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!
Looks scrumptious! Have a safe trip back to B-town.
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