Brined and Roasted Turkey

By á-24269

Holiday Turkey

Ingredients

• Brine:
• 1 10-12 pound turkey
• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 oranges, quartered
• 2 lemons, quartered
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• Ingredients to put into turkey before roasting:
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, cut into one inch pieces
• 2 large carrots, cut into one inch pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme
• Turkey Broth:
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Reserved turkey neck and giblets
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups turkey or chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• Gravy:
• 4 cups of prepared turkey broth
• 1 cup white wine
• 4 tablespoons butter
• flour and water mixture for thickening
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Remove neck and giblets and reserve for broth.

Mix salt and sugar into two gallons of cold water in five gallon bucket, then add oranges, lemons, thyme and rosemary. Drop turkey into bucket and brine for 12-24 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Remove turkey from brine, rinse under cold water and pat dry with towel. Put inside ingredients into cavity. Rub turkey with room temperature butter and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Put turkey into turkey bag (don't forget to shake flower inside bag before putting turkey in). Add box of chicken broth to inside of bag before roasting.

Roast turkey until inside temp reaches 165 degrees (usually about 3 hours).

Stock for gravy:
Heat oil in heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add turkey neck and giblets and saute until browned on all sides, about five minutes. Add chopped vegetables and bay leaf to pan and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Add 3 cups of chicken broth and 3 cups water. Simmer for 1 hour or until mixture reduces by half. Once ready to make gravy strain stock.