Apple-Brined Turkey With Herbs

Name: Apple-Brined Turkey With Herbs
Prep time: 48 h
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 51 h
Yield: 6-8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 (12 -14 lb) whole turkey (neck and giblets removed from the cavity); 8 cups turkey stock or 8 cups turkey broth; 4 cups apple juice, preferably unsweetened; fresh herb, such as rosemary and sage; 5 tablespoons fine sea salt; unsalted butter, at room temperature; boiling water or stock, for the roasting pan

Submitted by Busters friend

"The Washington Post, November 19, 2008 From Gastronomer columnist Andreas Viestad."

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Ready In:: 51hrs
Ingredients:: 7
Serves:: 6-8

ingredients

1 (12 -14 lb) whole turkey (neck and giblets removed from the cavity)
8 8 cups turkey stock or 8 cups turkey broth
4 cups apple juice, preferably unsweetened
fresh herb, such as rosemary and sage
5 tablespoons fine sea salt
unsalted butter, at room temperature
boiling water or stock, for the roasting pan

directions

Place the turkey in an extra-large plastic food storage bag.
Combine the stock or broth, apple juice, herbs and salt; add to the bag. Close the bag tightly and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days, preferably contained within a bucket or large bowl (to collect any spillage); turn over as needed to make sure the whole bird gets brined.
Remove the bird from the bag and place on the kitchen counter; discard the brine and herbs.
Place some ice cubes in a large plastic food storage bag and drape it over the breast of the turkey. Let it sit for 2 hours. This will allow the turkey legs to warm to room temperature while the breast remains cold.
Meanwhile, remove the middle and bottom racks in the oven; preheat to 350 degrees.
Place the turkey on the roasting rack that fits inside a large roasting pan (snip off 1/2 inch of the wing tips, if desired; they tend to burn). Rub the bird with butter. Place a piece of aluminum foil over the breast to protect it while cooking.
Place the roasting pan on the oven floor. Pour 1 cup of hot water or stock into the roasting pan. During roasting, check regularly to make sure there is some liquid in the pan; add water or stock as needed.
After 2 1/2 hours, allow the water in the roasting pan to evaporate, or use a turkey baster to extract it. Remove the foil from the breast. Baste the bird with cooking juices or rub it with more butter. Increase the temperature to 375 degrees and roast for 20 minutes to give the bird a crisp skin and nice brown color, checking regularly to ensure that it doesn't burn. (It will be more sensitive to heat because of the sugars in the apple juice; cover loosely with foil as needed.).
The turkey is done when the juices run clear from a fork or knife prick in the turkey thigh meat and its internal temperature registers 175 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. If the juices are pink, roast for 10 minutes and check again.
Allow the bird to rest for at least 30 minutes, and preferably 1 hour, before carving.

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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Busters friend

Pleasure Island, 73

First about Buster: Buster moved onto whatever comes next on February 26, 2008. He was just shy of five years old. I miss him terribly. He came into our lives when he ran out in front of my car late one night as I was driving home. A just under 4 pound ball of kitten fluff, complete with an ostrich boa tail that stayed straight up as he assessed his new domain. He became a 19 pound longhaired beast who guarded our house (he followed any new guests or servicepeople the entire time they are on the property) & even killed copperheads (among other things with his hunting buddy, Fergus the short-tailed)! Friends never saw his formidible side as he smiled at them & uttered the most incongruent kitten-like mews as he threaded legs! He liked to ride in the car & came to the beach. There are Buster-approved recipes in my offerings - however, HE decided which he wanted to consider - Buster demonstrated he liked pumpkin anything - ALOT -LOL!!! Copperhead count 2006 - Buster 2 (10 inchers w/yellow tails) 2007 - Buster & Roxie 1 (a 24 incher!) Buster woken from beauty sleep - http://www.recipezaar.com/members/home/62264/DSCN0335.JPG Big whiskers - http://www.recipezaar.com/members/home/62264/DSCN0333.JPG For those of you who gave kind condolences - thank you so very much. http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=250301 I love to cook & incorporate techniques from Southern/Mid Atlantic roots (grits, eastern NC BBQ shoulders, Brunswick stew, steamed crabs & shrimp & shellfish, hushpuppies, cornbread, greens, shad roe, scrapple) with Pacific Rim foods & techniques aquired while living in Pacific Northwest, fish & game recipes learned while living in Rocky Mountain region & foods/techniques learned travelling to the Big Island & up into BC & Alberta & into the Caribbean. The Middle Eastern/African likes I have are remnants of my parents who lived for many years in North Africa & Mediterranean before I was thought of. Makes for wide open cooking! Since moving back east we try to go annually in the deep winter to Montreal (Old Montreal auberges & La Reine) & Quebec City (Winter Carnival & Chateau Frontenac)- for unctuous foie gras & real cheeses, French & Canadian meals prepared & served exquisitely, fantastic music & wonderful people - with the cold helping burn off some of the calories! I love putting in our aluminum jonboat & heading across the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to the barrier islands for foraging & exploring! Bodysurfing is a lifelong sport for me - one that a person's body never seems to forget how to do, once the knack is learned (thank goodness!) I especially miss cool summers & foggy/drizzly days & fall mushroom foraging/anytime of year hot springing in WA, OR, MT, ID, BC & Alberta.

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