Brined Herb Roasted Turkey Food

HERB-BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a stockpot, combine the salt, brown sugar, sage, thyme, rosemary and 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from the heat. Add the cold water to cool the brine to room temperature., Place a turkey-size oven roasting bag inside a second roasting bag; add turkey. Carefully pour cooled brine into bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible; seal bags and turn to coat. Place in a roasting pan. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally., Drain and discard brine; rinse turkey and pat dry. Tie drumsticks together. Place the remaining ingredients in a food processor; cover and process until smooth. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from turkey breast; rub half of the butter mixture under skin. Secure skin to underside of breast with toothpicks. Rub remaining butter mixture over skin., Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°; bake 3-1/4 to 3-3/4 hours longer or until thermometer reads 180°, basting twice during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly., Remove turkey to a serving platter; cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving.

DRY-BRINED HERBED TURKEY

Steps:

• The day before roasting the turkey, remove the neck and giblets and reserve for gravy (see below). Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and put on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Combine 1/4 cup salt, the sugar, 1 tablespoon each rosemary, sage and thyme, the celery seeds and 2 teaspoons pepper in a spice grinder. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped and the salt is pale green. Rub the turkey inside and out with the salt mixture, rubbing some under the skin of the breasts. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Position an oven rack in the lowest position (remove the other racks); preheat to 350 degrees F. Rinse the turkey well and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the herb sprigs, carrot, celery and shallots. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Put the turkey breast-side up on a rack set in a large roasting pan and tuck the wings under the body. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Pour the wine over the turkey, then brush all over with the melted butter. Roast the turkey 1 hour, then baste with the pan drippings, adding up to 1/2 cup water to the pan if the drippings are getting too dark. Continue to roast the turkey, basting every 30 minutes and adding more water to the pan if needed, until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 160 degrees F, 1 1/2 to 2 more hours. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving; reserve the drippings for the gravy.

HONEY BRINED HERB ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove giblets and neck from turkey, reserve for gravy. Rinse turkey with cold running water and drain well. Blot dry with paper towels.
• Prepare brine by mixing water, honey and salt in a large bowl. Stir until honey dissolves. Add half the thyme and sage along with the garlic and black pepper. Set aside. Add chicken stock.
• Line an extra-large stock pot with a food-safe plastic bag. Place the rinsed turkey in the bag and pour brine over the turkey. Gather the bag tightly around the turkey, causing the turkey to be surrounded by the brine. Seal the bag and refrigerate the pot, bag and brined turkey for at least 12 hours.
• Pre-heat oven to 350°F Remove turkey from brine and pat dry inside and out. Discard brine. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (about 2 1/2" deep) roasting pan.
• Squeeze lemon juice into the main turkey cavity. Put the squeezed lemon halves into the cavity along with the rest of the thyme and sage. Coat turkey lightly with oil and sprinkle inside and out with salt, pepper.
• Insert an oven safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful the pointed end of the thermometer does not touch the bone. Roast turkey, basting with poultry stock every half hour or so.
• Loosely cover with aluminum foil to prevent over browning, remove foil during last hour and a half of cooking time. Continue to roast until thermometer registers 180°F in the thigh, or 170°F in the breast.
• Remove turkey from the oven and allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes before carving.

BRINED HERB-CRUSTED TURKEY WITH APPLE CIDER GRAVY

Steps:

• To brine the turkey: Combine all of the ingredients for the brine in a large container. Add the turkey and let it brine in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
• To prepare the turkey for cooking: Remove the turkey from the brine the night before roasting and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. Combine the rosemary, sage, and butter for the herb crust in a small bowl. Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Work the butter under the skin of the turkey and massage it into the breasts and the legs. Massage the butter on the outside of the skin as well. Tie the legs together over the breast so they will protect it during cooking and help keep it moist and juicy.
• Gravy preparation: Put the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, apples, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and thyme in a roasting pan and season with salt. Arrange the turkey on top of the veggies and refrigerate overnight UNCOVERED! Yes, that's right, uncovered. This will help the skin dry out and become really brown and crispy. Make sure that there is no raw food near the turkey in the refrigerator. After refrigerating overnight, the turkey is ready to go in the oven.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Put 2 cups chicken stock and 1 cup apple cider in the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until the skin gets really nice and brown, about 40 minutes. Lower the oven heat to 350 degrees F for the remainder of the cooking time. Baste the turkey every 30 minutes or so and add more stock to the roasting pan, if needed. Cook about 17 minutes per pound. Once it gets to the proper color, tent the turkey with aluminum foil to prevent it from getting too dark.
• Remove the turkey from the oven when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the turkey registers 160 degrees F. Make sure that the thermometer is not touching a bone when doing the reading. When the turkey has reached the proper temperature, remove it from the roasting pan to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
• Strain all the veggies over a bowl to separate them from the stock/mixture. Discard the veggies. Skim off the fat and add it to the roasting pan. This is the fat for the roux. Put the roasting pan over 2 burners and over a low heat and whisk in the flour. Cook until the mixture looks like wet sand, about 4 to 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the remaining 1 cup apple cider, remaining chicken stock and the stock/cider mixture. Cook until the mixture has thickened and reached a gravy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour into a serving pitcher or bowl.
• Carve the turkey, transfer to a serving platter and serve with the gravy.
• Give thanks for such a great turkey!!!

BRINED AND ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove the neck, giblets, and liver from the cavity of the turkey and reserve for the gravy. Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water.
• Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels, inside and out. Place breast side down in a large, heavy roasting pan, and rub on all sides with the butter. Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the turkey with the onion, orange, celery, carrot, bay leaves, and thyme. Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string.
• For the turkey broth: Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the turkey neck, heart, and gizzard to the pan and saute until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add the chopped vegetables and bay leaf to the pan and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Pour the stock and 3 cups of water into the pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the stock is reduced to 4 cups, about 1 hour, adding the chopped liver to the pan during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
• Strain the stock into a clean pot or large measuring cup. Pull the meat off the neck, chop the neck meat and giblets, and set aside.
• Roast the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, turn, and baste with 1/2 cup stock. Continue roasting with the breast side up until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the largest section of thigh (avoiding the bone), about 2 3/4 to 3 hours total cooking time. Baste the turkey once every hour with 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock.
• Remove from the oven and place on a platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
• For the pan gravy: Pour the reserved turkey pan juices into a glass-measuring cup and skim off the fat. Place the roasting pan on 2 stovetop burners over medium heat add the pan juice and 1 cup turkey broth and the white wine to the pan, and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining 3 cup of broth and bring to a simmer, then transfer to a measuring cup.
• In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, to make a light roux. Add the hot stock, whisking constantly, then simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved neck meat and giblets to the pan and adjust seasoning, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Pour into a gravy boat and serve.
• To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a clean, heavy-duty, plastic garbage bag.) Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.

BRINED ROAST TURKEY BREAST WITH HERB PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Dissolve the kosher salt and sugar in the water in large, clean bucket or stockpot. Set the turkey breast in the brine, making sure it is submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.
• Remove the turkey breast from the brine. Pat dry and set aside. Place the butter in a bowl; add the sage and thyme. Season the butter well with pepper and stir to combine. Set aside.
• Twenty minutes before roasting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Place the turkey on a clean work surface. Using a chef's knife, remove the remaining portion of the neck and reserve it for the stock and gravy. Remove the wishbone to make carving easier; set it aside with the neck for the gravy. With your hand, carefully release the skin on both breasts to form two pockets. Rub the seasoned butter under the released skin. If there is any extra butter, massage it on the outside of the skin.
• Put the celery, carrots, and onions in a large roasting pan. Pour 1/2 cup of the chicken stock into the pan bottom to prevent the drippings from burning. Place the prepared turkey, skin side up, on top of the vegetables. Place the pan in the oven with the wide neck end toward the rear of the oven. Roast for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan back to front. Roast for 15 minutes more, until skin turns golden. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to roast, rotating the pan once more about halfway through the cooking, until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees F to 165 degrees F, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the turkey breast to a cutting board, preferably with a moat. Cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil. Pour the remaining 2 cups chicken stock into a saucepan. Add the reserved neck and wishbone and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to simmer.
• Place the roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add the flour to the pan drippings and stir until well combined. Strain the warmed stock over the flour-vegetable combination and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to simmer and cook until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Strain the mixture into a saucepan (the saucepan that held the stock is fine to use), pressing on the vegetables to get every drop and all the flavor. Check and make sure the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon; if not, continue simmering the sauce until the correct consistency is achieved. (If it's too thick, add a little water or additional stock.)
• Carve the turkey breast and plate on a warm platter. Add any juices that run into the moat to the gravy. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper and serve with the gravy on the side.
• Combine 3 cups cranberries and 3/4 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally,until the berries release their juices, about 8 minutes. Add the juice of 2 oranges (about 1/2 cup), 1/2 cup golden raisins, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 star anise. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Peel 3 firm pears, then core and cut into 1/2-inch dice and add to the chutney with the finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the mixture thickens and the pears are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

GARLIC HERB-BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove neck and giblets from turkey cavities; discard or reserve for another use. Place turkey in plastic brining bag or turkey-size oven bag.
• Bring 3 qt. water, salt, garlic, onions and herbs to boil in 8-qt. stockpot on high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add ice water and dressing; stir until ice is melted. Slowly pour over turkey in bag; tightly close bag. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 16 hours.
• Remove turkey from bag; discard bag and brine. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature 30 min.
• Heat oven to 425ºF. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 20 min. Reduce oven temperature to 375ºF. Melt butter; brush onto turkey.
• Bake 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until turkey is done (165ºF). Transfer to cutting board; tent with foil. Let stand 15 min. before carving.

FRESH HERB-BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, combine the first nine ingredients; bring to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat. Add cold water to cool the brine to room temperature. , Place one oven roasting bag inside the other. Place turkey inside both bags; pour in cooled brine. Seal bags, pressing out as much air as possible; turn to coat turkey. Place in a shallow roasting pan. Refrigerate 18-24 hours, turning occasionally., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove turkey from brine; rinse and pat dry. Discard brine. Place turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, breast side up. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together. Rub oil over outside of turkey; sprinkle with pepper and, if desired, salt., Roast, uncovered, 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.), Remove turkey from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 20 minutes before carving.

BRINED AND ROASTED WHOLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Overnight Brine: Combine Morton®Kosher Salt and sugar in cool water in a large, clean stockpot until completely dissolved. Place the whole turkey in the brine until completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight, up to 14 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse inside and out under cool running water for several minutes to remove all traces of salt; pat dry with paper towel.
• 4-5 hour Brine: To brine your turkey in less time (4-5 hours), use 2 cups of Morton®Coarse Kosher Salt and two cups of sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours.
• To Roast: Mix the softened butter with the pepper. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan. Rub the seasoned butter under the skin. Brush the skin with the melted butter. Pour the 1 cup liquid (wine, broth or water) over the pan bottom to prevent drippings from burning. Roast turkey at 450 degrees F for 25 minutes, baste and then rotate the roasting pan. Continue roasting until the skin turns golden brown, an additional 25 minutes; baste again. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F; continue to roast, basting and rotating the pan once about halfway through cooking, until the minimum internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the oven. Let stand 20 minutes before carving.

BEST BRINED ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Brining: Remove giblet bag from turkey, along with any extra internal fat and pin feathers. Rinse well under cold tap water.
• Combine sugar, salt and 1 gallon of water in a large bowl; stir until sugar and salt dissolve.
• Add bay leaves, thyme, garlic, allspice berries and juniper berries.
• Double-bag two heavy-duty, unscented trash bags (do not use bags made of recycled materials) and put them in an ice chest that is large enough to hold the turkey.
• Place turkey in bags, pour in brine and remaining 1 1/2 gallons water; there should be enough liquid to completely cover the bird.
• Press out air in bags; tightly close each bag separately. Keep turkey cold with bags of ice, which will also help keep it submerged. Let brine for 12-24 hours.
• Alternate method: Place turkey and brine in a pan large enough for bird to be completely submerged. Weight it down with a plate and cans to keep it submerged in brine. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
• Air-dry: After brining, rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey in a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, 12 to 24 hours. Turn the bird over halfway through drying time.
• Roasting (Convection): Preheat convection oven to 375°.
• Spread 2 tablespoons softened butter over skin; sprinkle skin and cavity with 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper.
• Tuck wing tips under and tie legs together. Place bird breast-up, in a V- shaped roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Cover breast and top of thighs tightly with foil.
• Roast for 45 minutes. Remove foil and baste with 1/2 cup turkey stock. Leave foil off.
• Return turkey to oven. Baste with pan drippings every 20 minutes, adding more stock and butter as necessary, until internal thigh temperature reaches 165°. A 12-16-pound bird will cook in about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours.
• Let turkey rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
• Roasting (Conventional Oven): Preheat oven to 400°.
• Spread 2 tablespoons softened butter over skin; sprinkle skin and cavity with 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper.
• Tuck wing tips under, loosely truss legs and place turkey on a V-shaped rack in a roasting pan. Tent breast with foil.
• Put turkey in oven. To assure that the bird cooks evenly, rotate roasting pan 180° every 30 minutes while turkey is roasting. Roast for about 1 hour, remove foil and baste turkey with 1/2 cup stock.
• Return to oven and roast, basting with pan drippings every 20 minutes, adding more stock and butter as necessary. Start checking internal temperature after about 1 hour of roasting time. If legs begin to get too brown, cover loosely with foil. Roast turkey until internal thigh temperature reaches 165°. Total roasting time should be about 2 to 2 3/4 hours.
• Let bird rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving.

HERB ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Rub the surface of the turkey and sprinkle cavity with salt and pepper.
• Place 12 sprigs of thyme in cavity.
• In a large heavy roasting pan, place onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, peppercorns and remaining thyme sprigs.
• Place the turkey, breast side up, over the vegetables.
• Drizzle butter over turkey and sprinkle with minced herbs.
• Cover loosely with foil.
• Bake at 325*F for 2 1/2 hours.
• Remove foil; bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer, basting every 20 minutes.
• Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving.
• For gravy, add a couple of cups of stock to vegetables in pan and heat to deglaze.
• Strain into a saucepan and thicken with some flour and water.
• (I put some cold water into a jar, add a few TBS of flour, screw the lid on and shake it til it is well mixed. Then I strain it thru a tea strainer to keep any lumps of flour out).

BRINED, HERB GRILLED TURKEY

Steps:

• To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 3 gallons of cold water in a large clean, heavy-duty, food grade plastic storage bag. Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.
• Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water. Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
• Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels inside and out.
• Place turkey, breast side up, in a large, foil roasting pan with a rack. Rub breast side with orange segments and rub on all sides with the butter, stuffing some underneath the skin.
• Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper.
• Stuff the turkey with the onion, remaining orange, celery, carrot, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, sage and parsley.
• Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string. Grill the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour.
• Remove from the grill turn, and baste with 1/2 cup stock. Cover with foil and continue grilling with the breast side up until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the largest section of thigh about 3 to 3 1/2 hours total cooking time. Baste the turkey once every hour with 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock.
• Remove from the grill and place on a platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.