Roasted Turkey | Thanksgiving Recipe
How to prepare a a juicy, flavorful turkey for Thanksgiving Day. Includes instructions for brining, trussing and roasting a turkey.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I, for one, cannot wait to sit around the big dining room table with family members in every which direction, give thanks, enjoy a lovely meal together, drink some wine and eat some pie…and then immediately after pull out the Christmas decor.
When you think about Thanksgiving day, where does your mind wander first? Does it mosey on over to the casseroles? Or does it make it a b-line for the pies? After visions of green bean casserole quit dancing in my head, my mind typically makes its way to the turkey. Will it be roasted? Or will it be fried? Maybe the husband will smoke one this year. There are so many options nowadays when it comes to the main course, it can be hard to choose. But, no matter which cooking method we decide on, one thing remains the same — the brine.
For me, not using a brine for a turkey on Thanksgiving day is like throwing a kid into a lake who can’t swim and hoping for the best. Or you could look at it like this: Maybe you don't do the brine thing, and just maybe your turkey will come out perfectly juicy and tender without it. But, then again, maybe not. The brine serves the same function as a good insurance policy..except way less expensive. Maybe in the end, you wouldn't have needed after all, but boy-oh-boy, if a turkey tragedy were to occur, you sure would be glad you had it. For instance, let’s say you get busy or overwhelmed in the kitchen that day (as many of us do) the timer goes off…but your distracted and you forget to pull the turkey. The brine saves the day. Let’s say you've accidentally cooked it at too high of a temperature. Again, the brine will save the day. Are you seeing a trend here, friends?
Cooking Tip:
The turkey is properly cooked according to the USDA* (see “cooking tips” above) once the thermometer registers 165° in the breast and 175° in the thigh.
However, I would like to bring to your attention that once large cuts of meat are pulled from the oven, that hunk of protein is going to continue to cook as it sits on the counter, and will likely go up at least 10° more. So! With that being said (and health department, you know it’s true, so don't go waving any fists at me) it is perfectly fine to pull your bird out 10° prior to the final desired cooking temperature. Just pull it, tent it with foil and step away for 15 minutes or so. Allowing the bird to rest, will also ensure that the juices redistribute throughout the body, making for a more juicy and flavorful bird.
What You’ll Need:
brining bag
large roasting pan fitted with a rack
butchers twine
instant read thermometer
Ingredients:
16 pound turkey
1 cup Kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
5-5 1/2 quarts of water, separated
8 tablespoons room temperature, unsalted butter
4 tablespoons olive oil, separated
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
4 teaspoons + 1 tablespoon TAK Seasoning, separated
Aromatic Stuffing (optional):
3 carrots, cut into thirds
3 stalks of celery, cut into thirds
2 shallots, halved
1 garlic head, halved
1/4 c Fresh Sage (left whole)
1/4 c Fresh Rosemary (left whole)
Allow 5-6 days for turkey to thaw completely in the refrigerator.
The day or night before you intend to serve the turkey, bring Kosher salt, sugar and 2 quarts of water to a roaring boil in a large sauce pan. Allow to boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar and salt have dissolved and are no longer visible. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Discard of any plastic piecing from within the turkey. If desired, carefully remove the neck and tail of the bird using poultry shears, and trim any excess skin. Discard of the innards or reserve for another use.
Place brining bag in a large rimmed roasting pan and add the turkey breast-side down. Very carefully, pour cooled brine over the turkey along with 3 - 3 1/2 quarts more room temperature water, enough so that the water just covers the turkey once secured in bag. Release as much air as possible from the brining bag before tightly securing closed. Place in the refrigerator and allow to brine overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 425°.
About 5 hours before you intend to serve the turkey, remove it from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel all over. Allow turkey to sit out on the counter one hour before roasting to remove the chill. In the meantime, start putting together your compound butter.
To make the compound butter, using a whisk or fork, mix together butter, 2 tbsp of olive oil, minced herbs and TAK Seasoning until well-combined. Set aside until ready to use.
On a large work surface, begin to separate the skin of the turkey from the flesh and massage compound butter all over, under the skin of the turkey, minding the legs, thighs and wings as well as the breasts. Drizzle the outside of the turkey with the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil, sprinkle with the remaining tbsp of TAK Seasoning, and massage all over the surface of the turkey. If you would like to add aromatics, place them within the carcass of the bird.
Truss the bird using butchers twine: Tightly secure together the legs of the turkey by tying a string of butchers twine tightly around the end of the drum. Using a much longer strand of twine, place it under the backbone of the bird and center it across the middle of the wings. Bring the twine up and over the wings and secure tightly with a knot atop the breast bone. Reposition wings if necessary so that they are neatly tucked under the twine. Take a third piece of twine and loop it underneath the other two pieces, then gently pull it upwards until the turkey legs begin to come inward and are slightly elevated. Secure with a knot and trim all of the excess twine.
Carefully transfer the turkey to a large roasting pan, fitted with a rack and roast for 30 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375° and continue to roast for 1 hour more. At this point, cover the bird with aluminum foil and roast 1 hour more.
After 2 1/2 hours have passed, you should begin using a digital cooking thermometer to check the turkey for doneness. If your turkey has not yet reached the optimal temperature, cover it with aluminum foil and return to the oven. Continue checking the temperature about every 20 minutes or so thereafter. The entire cooking process will likely take close to 3 hours.*
*If your turkey is smaller or larger by a few pounds, you will need to either decrease or increase the cook time.
Would pair well with:
Broccoli & Wild Rice Casserole
