Roasted Heritage Turkey With Aromatic Brine Recipes

ROAST HERITAGE TURKEY AND GRAVY

Steps:

• A day ahead of roasting, remove neck and giblets from turkey. Mix cider, salt, lemons, bay leaves and 3 quarts water together in a large bowl or stockpot; stir to dissolve salt. Submerge turkey in the bowl or pot, cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. Alternatively, put turkey and brine in two clean, unscented plastic garbage bags (one bag inside the other), tie well and place in a cooler with ice or ice packs.
• When you are ready to roast, heat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse turkey and pat dry. Stuff apple, onion, garlic and most of the thyme into turkey. Lift skin at neck and gently use your hand to separate skin from breast meat. Rub half the butter under skin and slip in remaining thyme and two rosemary sprigs. Use remaining butter to rub outside of bird, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
• Set a rack into a roasting pan and place four rosemary sprigs on top of the rack. Place bird on top of rosemary. Add turkey neck and giblets to bottom of pan. Take two pieces of heavy foil cut to the length of the pan. Fold the two together to create a single sheet to tent the bird.
• Transfer to oven and roast. Roasting time will be 3 to 3 1/2 hours for an 18-pound bird. Add 10 minutes per pound for larger birds. Subtract 10 minutes per pound for smaller birds. Midway through cooking time, remove giblets and neck and add wine and 1 cup water. Twenty minutes before roasting time is complete, begin to test for doneness with a digital probe thermometer inserted at the deepest part of the thigh. It is done when thigh registers 160 degrees. Remove bird from oven and transfer to a serving platter.
• Place roasting pan over low heat on the stovetop and add 2 1/2 cups stock. Scrape all the browned turkey bits from bottom of pan. Skim 2/3 of the fat from top of drippings and discard. Bring drippings to a boil; reduce to a simmer. You may wish to strain at this point to remove stray bits, but they add character to the finished gravy.
• Finely chop giblets and neck meat. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/2 cup stock. Add slurry to drippings, stirring constantly, until thickened. If gravy seems too thick, whisk in a bit more stock. Add chopped egg and giblets and neck meat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

BRINED AND ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a pot large enough to accommodate the turkey, combine 2 gallons water, the bourbon, 2 cups salt, and the sugar. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Add turkey, and refrigerate for 18 to 36 hours.
• Remove turkey from the brine, and dry well with paper towels. Let stand, covered, at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons salt and the white and black pepper. Rub the inside and outside of the turkey with the salt-and-pepper mixture. Fill the large cavity and neck cavity with as much stuffing as they hold comfortably. Do not pack tightly, or the stuffing will not cook through. (If all the stuffing does not fit, simply transfer the extra to a buttered baking dish, and bake covered, for 30 minutes and uncovered for 15 minutes more in a 375 degree oven.) Tie the legs together loosely with kitchen twine. Fold the neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. Fold the wing tips under the turkey.
• Soak a clean kitchen towel in the chicken stock. Lift the towel out of the stock, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over the turkey. Place the turkey in the oven so breast is facing the front of the oven. Roast for 3 hours, basting every 30 minutes.
• Carefully remove the towel. Turn roasting pan so the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Add onions, carrots, celery, and parsley stems to the roasting pan around the turkey. Roast 1 hour more, basting after 30 minutes.
• Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 165 degrees and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If the legs are not fully cooked, baste the turkey, return to the oven, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
• When fully cooked, remove the turkey from the oven, and let it rest, covered, for at least 20 minutes. Transfer to a carving board. Make the gravy, and serve with turkey.

ROASTED HERITAGE TURKEY

Steps:

• Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a large roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack, and place breast side up. Bring to room temperature, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Tuck wings under turkey. Gently separate skin from breast, and rub butter under the skin on each side. Season outside of turkey generously with salt and pepper. Fill cavity with herb sprigs, bay leaves, apple cores, and onion; tie legs together with kitchen twine. Scatter apples and celery around rack. Place neck and giblets in pan. Add water to pan.
• Roast turkey for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Baste with pan juices, and tent with foil. Roast, rotating pan, adding more water if pan is dry, and basting halfway through, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 160 degrees, about 2 1/2 hours more. Let turkey stand for 30 minutes before transferring to a platter and carving. Reserve pan with contents if making gravy.

HERITAGE TURKEY

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, remove the thighs and legs in one piece. Separate the legs from the thighs. Cut down each side of the backbone to remove, and set aside. Cut out the wishbone, and discard.
• In a small bowl, combine the 6 tablespoons pimenton, 3 tablespoons salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons anise, dried thyme, cumin, coriander, sugar, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Rub spice mixture evenly over the breast, legs, and thighs. Wrap the breast, legs, and thighs in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• Cut the turkey neck into 3 pieces. Add to a large stockpot with the turkey back, posole, and enough water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and skim any foam that rises to the surface.
• Meanwhile, in a double layer of cheesecloth, wrap bay leaves, thyme sprigs, onions, and garlic. Using kitchen twine, tie to enclose. Add to stockpot, and cook until the posole is tender but not fully opened, about 3 hours.
• Remove legs and thighs from refrigerator, and unwrap. Add to the stockpot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the posole is tender and turkey is falling off the bones, about 2 hours more. It may be necessary to add hot water to keep the contents covered while cooking. Remove from heat.
• Remove the backbone, neck, legs, and thighs. Let cool. Remove meat, discarding bones. Cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper, and return to the stockpot.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add large onion and sliced garlic. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add remaining 2 teaspoons pimenton and 2 teaspoons anise. Add a little of the cooking liquid from the posole mixture to moisten. Add the cranberry beans, and cook for 1 hour. Add the squash, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Taste, and adjust for seasoning.
• Meanwhile, 2 hours before serving, remove turkey breast from refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place turkey breast in a roasting pan. Roast, basting with pan juices, until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees. 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from oven, and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Carve turkey breast, and arrange on a platter. Transfer posole stew and cranberry beans to separate bowls, and serve on the side.

CLASSIC BRINED AND ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Put salt, sugar, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and 10 cups water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring until salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from heat; let brine cool completely.
• Add turkey, breast first, to the brine. Cover; refrigerate 24 hours. Remove from brine; pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Stir together melted butter and wine in a medium bowl. Fold a very large piece of cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to cover breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture; let soak.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Loosely fill body and neck cavities with stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Fold neck flap under; secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey all over with softened butter; season with salt and pepper.
• Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently into bowl. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth over turkey. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Roast 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast, brushing every 30 minutes, 2 1/2 hours more; cover with foil if browning too quickly. If making gravy, add giblets and neck to pan 1 1/2 hours after reducing temperature; roast 30 minutes, and reserve.
• Discard cheesecloth; rotate pan. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast, rotating pan halfway through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees and stuffing reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter. Set pan with drippings aside for gravy. Let turkey stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes. Garnish, if desired.

ROASTED HERITAGE TURKEY WITH AROMATIC BRINE

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot or food-grade bucket three-quarters full with warm water. Add brown sugar and 2 cups salt, stirring until dissolved. Add onions, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, coriander, peppercorns, and fennel seeds. Let cool to room temperature. Place turkey in brine. Add cool water, if necessary, to fully submerge turkey. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.
• Remove turkey from brine. Rinse inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Season cavity with salt and pepper. Rub room-temperature butter evenly over outside of turkey; season with salt and pepper. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together with kitchen twine. Transfer to a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Let stand 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack in lower third. Roast turkey 30 minutes. Baste with some of melted butter; lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue roasting, basting with butter every 30 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast near (but not touching) bone registers 165 degrees, 1 to 1 1/2 hours total, depending on size of bird.
• Transfer turkey to a serving platter. Reserve pan with drippings for gravy. Let turkey rest at least 45 minutes; carve and serve with gravy and garnishes.