Olde Thompson Harvest Turkey Brine Food

MY FAVORITE TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Combine 2 gallons cold water with the apple cider, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, rosemary and orange peels in a large pot. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and cover.
• Allow to cool completely, then place into the fridge to chill. Place uncooked turkey in the chilled brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.
• When ready to roast the turkey, remove from the brine. Submerge the turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside.
• Discard the brine. Remove the turkey from the clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

HARVEST TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Combine chicken stock, vegetable stock, and with wine in a large pot. Toss in apples, oranges, lemons, pear, garlic, and onion. Tie rosemary, thyme, and sage together with kitchen twine; add to the pot. Stir in 1 cup water, salt, sugar, dried peppers, vegetable flakes, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; stir to dissolve salt and sugar.
• Remove brine from heat and let cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator.
• Combine brine with 1 gallon of heavily iced water 1 to 2 days before serving the turkey. Place thawed turkey in an extra-large turkey bag and pour in enough brine to cover completely. Refrigerate.
• Remove turkey from the brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine and start cooking.

THOMPSON'S TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. or as high as it will go -- for at least 1 hour.
• Chop fine the reserved turkey fat. In a small saucepan set over moderate heat combine the reserved fat with 1/2 cup of the water, bring to a boil and simmer until all the water has evaporated and only clear fat and small pieces of solid remain. Reserve fat for stuffing.
• Season the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper. Rub the skin all over with the oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Make the gravy: In a saucepan set over moderate heat combine ingredients for the gravy, bring to a boil and simmer while preparing the dressing.
• Make the dressing: prepare and combine ingredients in bowl no. 1; prepare and combine ingredients from bowl no. 2; and prepare and combine ingredients from bowl no. 3. In a large bowl combine ingredients from all three bowls. Mix it well. "Mix it with your hands. Mix it
• until your forearms and wrists ache. Then mix it some more. Now toss it enough so that it isn't any longer a doughy mass."
• Loosely stuff the turkey. Stuff the neck cavity and sew closed the openings. Tie legs together.
• Make the paste: combine all ingredients for paste in a bowl, adding enough flour to form a thick paste.
• Arrange turkey breast side down on a rack wrapped in foil sitting in a shallow roasting pan. Brush foil with oil.
• Put the turkey in the oven and roast it for 15 minutes, or until browned. Turn it breast side up and roast for 15 minutes more. With a pastry or paint brush coat the turkey completely with the paste -- in every nook and cranny. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• To simmering gravy add cider and water. Remove from heat but keep warm on top of stove. (This is your basting liquid.) Roast the bird, basting it frequently, (the original recipe says every 15 minutes) for 4 1/2 to 5 hours, or until an instant meat thermometer reads 180 to 185 in the thigh; 170 in the breast and 160 in the stuffing.
• Let rest 15 to 20 minutes, before peeling away crust.
• Suggested drink: Meridian Merlot 1994.
• For the paste: 12 egg yolks 2 tablespoons of Colman's mustard 6 cloves garlic, minced 6 tablespoons onion juice 1 tablespoon salt 3/4 teaspoon Cayenne, or to taste 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour, or enough to make a paste 3 cups cider 1 cup water;