Brined and Roasted Whole Turkey
- Ready In:
- 9hrs
- Ingredients:
- 7
- Serves:
-
12-15
ingredients
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 -3 gallons of cool water
- 12 -15 lbs fresh whole bone-in skin-on turkey, rinsed and patted dry
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (5 TB softened; 3 TB melted)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1 cup chicken broth or 1 cup water
directions
- To Brine: Combine 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 for 4 to 5 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.
- 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° 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° F; continue to roast, basting and rotating the pan once about halfway through cooking, until the*internal temperature reaches 170° F.
- ,for turkey breast meat and 180° F.
- ,for turkey thigh meat.
- Remove the turkey from the oven.
- Let stand 20 minutes before carving.
- Tips:*Internal temperature guidelines courtesy of USDA Food Safety Facts.
- Do NOT brine turkey if it includes?
- basting?
- liquids that contain salt.
- If pressed for time, use twice as much salt and sugar in the brine and cut soaking time to just 2 hours.
- If you purchase a turkey with a pop-up timer, leave it in place and ignore it.
- If removed, the timer will leave a gaping hole for juices to escape.
- Serves: 10 to 12.
- Preparation Time: 5 hours.
- Recipe by Morton Salt.
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Reviews
-
This was a wonderful recipe. I actually brined it overnight since I had to work early in the morning, and my hubby took it out around noon. We then prepared it by rubbing butter both inside and out of the skin (hey - it's thanksgiving - who's counting calories :0) ) We also rubbed fresh minced garlic under the skin and stuffed it with fresh thyme and sage as well as a 1/2 an orange and 1/2 a lemon. Thanks for the brine! It really made a difference in the juicy texture. We plan on making this for years to come.
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I have used this recipe several times, for a whole turkey, a half turkey and a turkey breast. Everyone always raves about how tender the meat is. No need to brine overnight - 4 - 5 hours is plenty and the high temps create a beautiful brown skin. I massage the butter into the bird rather than baste, and stuff very loosely with fresh herbs, an onion and a carrot but the results are the same. GREAT Turkey!
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This method came out super! The bird was brown, moist and delicious. The flavor of the meat was enhanced by the cooking process - and with just basic seasonings the turkey tasted like turkey. We especially liked the roasted flavor that the pan drippings acquired. Wonderful - we'll use this again. Thanks for sharing Joanie Grow!