It’s November, and we all know what that means: The holidays will be here any day now! Last year we followed the Thanksgiving turkey recipe below with our own homegrown bird, and we’ll do it again this year because it’s that good: super moist, flavorful, and sure to please your guests. It takes some preparation, but in the end, it’s more than worth the effort!
This recipe will work for a 16- to 25-pound turkey. Make sure the bird is completely thawed the day before you plan to cook it, because brining it requires at least 12 hours. It’s even better if you can brine it longer. We’re doing ours a full 48 hours.
Turkey Ingredients
For The Brine
1 gallon unsweetened apple juice
6 to 8 thin slices of fresh ginger
2 Tbsp peppercorns
2 Tbsp allspice berries
2 Tbsp whole cloves
2 bay leaves
3/4 cup salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Combine the apple juice, ginger, and spices in a large sauce pan. Stir in the salt and sugar. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes then allow to cool completely. We’ve designated a large water cooler, similar to the one pictured at left, for brining our bird.
Unwrap the thawed turkey, remove the giblets, and place the bird in the cooler, neck end down. Pour your cooled brining liquid over the bird. Add water until the bird is completely submerged then add a bunch of ice on top to keep cool. Put the lid on the cooler and leave it undisturbed for at least 12 and up to 48 hours. (Just make sure it’s staying cold.)
For Roasting
olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1/4 lb butter (1 stick), cut into pats
2 cups chicken broth
Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove the bird from the brine, letting the brine drain out of the cavity. Don’t rinse the bird.
Coat a roasting pan with olive oil and place the bird in it, breast-side up.
Using your hands, separate the bird’s skin from the breast and legs. Rub the chopped herbs into the meat.
Place the pats of butter under the skin in various locations, including on the legs. Pour the chicken broth over the bird.
Cover the bird with the pan lid or foil and put the pan in the oven.
Roast for two hours, basting every hour. Then remove the foil and allow the bird to brown, basting every 20 minutes.
Continue to roast the bird until the interior temperature reaches 165F. This can take an additional 1 to 2 hours, depending on whether the bird is stuffed. When taking the temperature, make sure the thermometer is through the thickest part of the breast and not touching bone.
You’ll end up with an incredibly moist, flavorful, and tender bird. Happy Thanksgiving!
My friends in college used to call me a Renaissance woman. I was always doing something crafty, creative, or utilitarian. I still am. Instead of arts and crafts, my focus these days has been farming as much of my urban quarter-acre as humanly possible. Along with my husband, I runDog Island Farm, in the San Francisco Bay Area. We raise chickens, goats, rabbits, dogs, cats, and a kid. We’re always keeping busy. If I’m not out in the yard, I’m in the kitchen making something from scratch. Homemade always tastes better!
This post originally appeared on HOMEGROWN.org. Come visit us!
