For the entirety of our relationship, we have always had to work on Thanksgiving. The boys have always been invited to various feasts over the years, and we usually end up grabbing Wawa Turkey Bowls after work. The restaurant that we work at now closes for Thanksgiving and they were kind enough to give us a 21-pound bird for our celebration.
Brine
1 (14 to 16 pound) fresh turkey
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped crystallized ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water
If you have a frozen turkey you will need to allow time for it to thaw completely before you start to brine (two to three days, depending on the size).
I started the brine on Wednesday morning. In a stockpot, I combined the vegetable stock (I didn’t plan far enough ahead to make my own, so used boxed), salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and crystallized ginger over medium-high heat. I whisked the mixture a few times as I brought it to a boil, allowing the sugar and salt to thoroughly dissolve. I removed the pot from the heat and allowed it to cool before refrigerating the mix.
After chilling the brine, I combined it with the gallon of water and ice in a brining bucket. I am very fortunate to live with someone who loves to cook, so I have access to a lot of great kitchen equipment. If you don’t have a brining bucket a 5-gallon bucket will do. After removing the giblets, I put the turkey, breast down, into the brine. I made sure the turkey was completely submerged in the brine. You may need to weigh it down to keep it underwater. I covered the brining container and refrigerated it overnight. The turkey should be turned half-way through the brining process, but I forgot to do that. I also did not take into account that the brine recipe is for a 14-pound turkey. I think I would have had even better results if I had adjusted the recipe for the larger bird.
When I was ready to cook the turkey, I preset the oven to 500 degrees. I took the turkey out of the brining liquid and rinsed it inside and out with cold water. (Chris suggested that I leave the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator overnight before cooking it for a crisper skin the next time.) I put the turkey on the rack of a roasting pan and patted it dry as best I could with paper towels. I carefully rubbed room temperature butter under the skin.
I then combined the apples, onion, cinnamon stick, and a cup of water in a batter bowl (any microwave-safe dish will work) and microwaved it on high for five minutes. I put the aromatics into the turkey’s cavity with the rosemary and sage. The mixture was very hot, so I used a spoon to do this. With help from Chris, I tucked the wings underneath the bird. Finally, I coated the skin with canola oil.
Before moving the turkey to the oven, Chris created a guard out of aluminum foil. He shaped the foil into a triangle and molded it to the turkey breast. We put the shield to the side and roasted the turkey at 500 degrees for 30 minutes on the lowest oven rack. After 30 minutes we covered the breast with the molded foil and inserted two thermometer probes, one in the breast and one in the thigh. (We have a really neat thermometer that lets us watch four temps at the same time.) I turned the oven down to 350 degrees and continued roasting.
White meat needs to reach a temperature of 165 degrees for safe consumption. Dark meat, while safe at 165 degrees, is more palatable at 175 degrees. White meat and dark meat also have different cook times, which is why I temped both. When the dark meat reached 160 degrees, I pulled the foil off of the breast to finish cooking. I was attempting to have the white meat reach 165 degrees at the same time that the dark meat got to 175 degrees. I was pretty close. Once the turkey reached temperature (actually, just under as the temperature rises slightly as it rests) I removed it from the oven and put it to the side to rest. The turkey should rest no less than 15 minutes before you cut it. Carving it any sooner will result in a loss of juices. There is nothing wrong with letting it rest for longer, some even recommend resting the turkey for 45 minutes.
While the turkey was resting, I finished the side dishes and made gravy.
Gravy
Roasted turkey
24 ounces chicken stock (low sodium)
8 ounces red wine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme)
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
After taking the turkey out of the roasting pan, I put the pan over two burners on the stove on medium heat. I added the stock and wine at the same time and whisked the mixture, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen up the bits. I cooked it for another three minutes to reduce the mixture slightly.
I put the mixture into a fat separator (we treated ourselves to a Cuisipro Four Cup Fat Separator) and let it sit for five minutes, allowing the fat to separate. I returned 3/4 cup of fat to the roasting pan over medium-high heat. I added the flour and whisked it to combine it. Whisking constantly, I cooked it for three minutes until it smoothed out and started to thicken. Once it started to thicken, I gradually added the liquid back in, whisking until it was smooth and the consistency I wanted. This took about five minutes. Keep in mind that the gravy will thicken as it cools.
I added salt and pepper, tasting to make sure the gravy was properly seasoned. Finally, I strained the gravy. I added sprigs of herbs when I added the liquid. The next time I think I will chop the herbs and add them after I strain the gravy.
The gravy was simple to make and so good I don’t think I will ever buy store gravy again. The turkey was delicious and a beautiful, golden brown. We had green beans, stuffing, au gratin potatoes, and cranberry sauce to round out our Thanksgiving dinner, with chocolate, Nutella, bread pudding for dessert. It was a lovely meal, but even nicer to share it with two of our three boys.
Both of these recipes are Alton Brown’s recipes found on FoodNetwork.com.
Leave A Comment