It’s Turkey Time!

The main attraction – the turkey! This year I brined the turkey; this makes the bird juicy and extra flavorful, definitely worth the extra effort. There are only a few days until Thanksgiving, so I will keep the recipes coming, next up: green bean casserole, a request from a fellow allergenista. I never had this dish pre-allergens, so you will really have to let me know if I get it right!

Turkey



1-12 to 14 pound turkey
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons rosemary, minced
2 tablespoons thyme, minced
Kosher salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Brine:
8 quarts water
3/4 cup Kosher salt
1/2 bunch fresh rosemary
1/2 bunch fresh sage
6 bay leaves
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrots, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 head garlic, cut in ½ thru center of cloves

Mix together ingredients in brine and add turkey to mixture.
Refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remove turkey from brine and dry thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Mix together olive oil, rosemary, thyme, Kosher salt and black pepper.
Rub mixture all over bird and under skin.
Use butcher’s twine to tie the legs closely to the rest of the bird.
Place turkey in roasting pan on roasting rack breast side down and cook for one hour uncovered.
Flip bird after one hour, season with Kosher salt and black pepper and continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 185°F in the thigh of the bird or 165°F in the breast.
You will want to baste the bird with the juices in the bottom of the pan every hour or so. If skin is getting too dark, cover bird loosely with aluminum foil.
Let turkey rest 10 minutes before cutting to retain juices.