Dry-Brined Turkey

Name: Dry-Brined Turkey
Prep time: 48 h
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 51 h
Yield: 12-16 serving(s)
Ingredients: 12 lbs turkey or 16 lbs turkey; 1/2 cup kosher salt, more if needed; 1 tablespoon black pepper; 10 sprigs fresh thyme; 1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley; 2 small onions, halved; 2 small apples, cored and halved; 1/2 cup butter; 1/2 cup white wine (optional)

Submitted by threeovens

"Plan ahead, this turkey brines for 2 days before cooking."

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Ready In:: 51hrs
Ingredients:: 9
Serves:: 12-16

ingredients

12 lbs turkey or 16 lbs turkey
¹⁄₂ cup kosher salt, more if needed
1 tablespoon black pepper
10 sprigs fresh thyme
¹⁄₂ bunch flat leaf parsley
2 small onions, halved
2 small apples, cored and halved
¹⁄₂ cup butter
¹⁄₂ cup white wine (optional)

directions

Two days before serving, rinse turkey and pat dry.
Rub all over with kosher salt, including under the skin, where possible, and in the cavities (use 1 tablespoon per 4 pounds of turkey).
Wrap turkey in a large plastic bag and place in the refrigerator.
On the second night, turn turkey over.
Before cooking, remove turkey from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Pat chicken dry and season the main cavity with half the pepper.
Place thyme, parsley, half the onion and half the apples in the main cavity and truss legs with kitchen twine.
Put remaining apples and onion in the neck opening.
Rub butter under breast skin and onto thigh meat.
Sprinkle turkey with remaining pepper.
Roast for 30 minutes.
Remove turkey from oven, reduce heat to 350 degrees and cover breast and wing tips with foil.
Add a cup and a half of water or white wine to bottom of roasting pan and roast for another two hours, depending on size; about 12 minutes per pound.
Remove foil in last half-hour so breast browns.
A meat thermometer, inserted in the thigh, should register 160 degrees F when the turkey is done.
Remover turkey to a serving platter or cutting board and cover with foil and a damp kitchen towel and let rest about 30 minutes.
Pour fat and drippings from pan into a measuring cup. Deglaze pan with white wine or broth and pour that into same measuring cup. Fat and drippings can then be used to make gravy.

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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

LucyS-D

Brentwood, 72

We may live without poetry, music and art;   We may live without conscience and live without heart; We may live without friends; we may live without books, But civilized man cannot live without cooks.   He may live without books -- what is knowledge but grieving? He may live without hope-- what is hope but deceiving? He may live without love -- what is passion but pining? But where is the man that can live without dining? -- Owen Meredith     I'm an all-American original, having lived in Hawaii, New York, Texas, South Carolina, and Miami.  I also served 7 years in the US Army.  My husband is from Bogota, Colombia and has also lived in the former Soviet Union.  But now we are both in NY.   Tomasi enjoyes a bath! <a href=http://s845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/?action=view&current=tomas.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/tomas.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /></a>   Some of my recipes: <object width=480 height=360 data=http://w845.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/12cdcf0a.pbw type=application/x-shockwave-flash> <param name=data value=http://w845.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/12cdcf0a.pbw /> <param name=src value=http://w845.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/12cdcf0a.pbw /> <param name=wmode value=transparent /> </object> <a href=http://photobucket.com/slideshows target=_blank><img src=http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn.gif alt=/ /></a><a href=http://s845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/?action=view?t=12cdcf0a.pbw target=_blank><img src=http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn_viewallimages.gif alt=/ /></a>     I also have the genealogy bug!  I've been tracing my roots for at least 10 years.  One branch came to America just after the Mayflower in the early 1600s.  Others came in the early 1700s, late 1890s.  So, my American roots run pretty deep and I am deeply patriotic.  Just wish someone had thought to same me some land!

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