Best Roasted Turkey

Total prep time: 30 to 40 minutes
Yield: Depends on size
Brine time: 1 to 2 days
Can be frozen
Cook time: 15 minutes per pound
INGREDIENTS
Brine
- 1 whole turkey
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 or 5 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons whole black pepper
- 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon dried juniper berries
- 1 l apple cider vinegar
- water
Turkey
- About 3 tablespoons butter
- Fresh poultry herb blend (2 to 3 twigs each)
- Thyme
- Sage
- Rosemary
- 2 to 3 teaspoons salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- 3 to 4 citrus of your choice,
- Lemon
- Orange
- Clementine, tangerine or mandarin
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup white wine (for basting)
Gravy
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Turkey drippings
- 1 cup of chicken stock
- extra seasoning if needed: salt, pepper, garlic powder, sugar
TIPS and thoughts
- Frozen turkey: start 4 days ahead!
- Fresh turkey: start 2 days ahead!
- Fridge space saver: Keep your turkey in a cold area (around
1-3° C). Use a cooler or a large bucket with ice, ice packs or snow that you keep in a cool area. Make sure you change your ice/snow every day. - I usually make a 14 lbs turkey for 6 + leftovers. The cook time for my oven is around 2.5 to 3 hours,
- Where to get a large plastic bag for brining:
- If it came in a large bag try to save it.
- Your butcher might be able to help.
- Large storage Ziploc bag.
- Specialty stores and Amazon.
- Skin getting too dark too fast? Put aluminum foil to wrap the wings or loosely cover the dark sections to prevent them from burning.
- No turkey baster? Use a large spoon to scoop the pan drippings.
- Roasting pan:
- Disposable aluminum pan: place the pan on a large baking sheet first. Those pans tend to bend, tear and warp.
- Roasting pan: I find the best ones have a roasting rack to elevate the turkey. It gives you a nice even roast, and easier access to the drippings for basting.
STEPS
Brine
- If turkey is frozen, allow it to thaw before brining.
- In a large plastic bag, place turkey and add all brine ingredients.
- Add enough water to cover turkey.
- Seal bag.
- Brine in a cold area for 1 to 2 days.
Turkey day
- Lower or remove racks you don’t need in oven so you can fit the turkey.
- Preheat oven to 325° F.
- Carefully remove turkey from brine and pat dry.
- Add little pieces of butter and spread it all over the turkey, inside and between skin and breasts flesh.
- Gently press your hand between the skin and flesh starting at the butt end. The two should separate fairly easily. Be careful not to tear the skin.
- Salt and pepper turkey inside and on the skin.
- Stuff herbs inside the turkey.
- Cut citrus in quarters and stuff them in the turkey. Do not over press them in.
- Place turkey in a large roasting pan and put in oven.
- Baste every 20 minutes or so.
- The first basting or two has little pan drippings so you may pour some white wine on the turkey.
- After that, you should get enough drippings from the bottom of the pan for basting.
- Cook turkey until it reaches 165° F
- Using a thermometer, check the innermost part of the thigh and the thickest part of the breast.
- Remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil.
- Let stand for 20 minutes for juices to set before carving.
Gravy
- Place saucepan over low to medium heat.
- Add butter and flour and cook for a minute or so.
- Pour the drippings into a saucepan.
- Don’t worry about little bits. You will strain them later.
- Whisk together.
- Pour stock in and allow to thicken while stirring or whisking.
- Taste gravy as it thickens to adjust seasoning, add only a little bit at the time.
- Too acid? Add sugar, honey or maple syrup.
- Too salty? Add wine or lemon juice.
- Too bland? Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary or sage.
- Strain gravy and serve.