Best Brined Roast Turkey Breast With Confit Legs Recipes

TURKEY LEG AND WING CONFIT WITH ROASTED BREAST

Steps:

• Put the turkey legs and wings in a large bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon pepper. Add the minced garlic and shallot and chopped thyme, rosemary and bay leaves and rub all over until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Scrape off as much of the seasoning mixture as possible from the turkey legs and wings and discard. Blot dry with paper towels. Melt the duck fat in a large wide pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Nestle the turkey legs and wings skin-side up in the pot so that they're submerged in the fat. Bring to a very gentle simmer, cover and cook until the leg meat is extremely tender, but not falling apart, about 2 hours. Turn off the heat and set aside. The recipe can be prepared to this point up to 2 days in advance. Keep the turkey submerged in the fat and refrigerate it.
• Meanwhile, prepare and roast the turkey breast. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven, remove the top rack, and preheat to 425 degrees F. Sprinkle the breast generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the halved garlic and shallots, the remaining thyme, rosemary and bay leaves and the orange. Prop the breast up by placing two balls of aluminum foil under the space where the wings would attach, so that it doesn't topple over. Brush the skin with some of the rendered duck fat, and roast until just starting to brown, about 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue cooking until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the breast registers 160 degrees F, about 30 minutes more. Remove the turkey from the oven and set aside to rest.
• While the turkey rests, finish the legs and wings. Carefully remove the legs and wings from the fat and blot dry with paper towels. Put 1/4 cup of the fat in each of 2 large nonstick skillets. Heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the legs and wings skin-side down and cook until deeply browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until browned on the second side and heated through, about 3 minutes more.
• Transfer the legs and wings to a serving platter. Carve the breast meat and transfer to the platter with the legs and wings. Serve with the Pear Chutney on the side.
• Combine the pears, shallot, sugar, raisins, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon vinegar. Serve warm or chilled. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

DRY-BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH SLOW-ROASTED LEGS

Steps:

• Dry-brine the turkey: Combine the salt, 2 teaspoons pepper and the chopped thyme and rosemary in a small bowl. Cut off the turkey legs (thighs and drumsticks together). Put the turkey breast and legs on a rimmed baking sheet. Season the turkey breast inside and out and the legs all over with the salt mixture. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 halved garlic head, the halved lemon, 4 thyme sprigs and 2 rosemary sprigs. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Position one oven rack in the bottom position and one right above it; preheat to 350˚. Combine the remaining halved garlic head, 4 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary, the sliced lemon, bay leaves and shallot in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the olive oil and stir to combine. Place the turkey legs skin-side up in the baking dish and cover with foil.
• Roast the turkey legs on the bottom oven rack until just tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 2 hours. Uncover the legs and continue to roast until the skin is golden and the legs are completely tender, 1 to 1 1/2 more hours.
• Meanwhile, for the turkey breast: Set a rack in a large roasting pan. Place the turkey breast breast-side up on the rack; let sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Once the turkey legs have been roasting for about 30 minutes, place the roasting pan with the breast on the rack above the legs; roast until the skin is deep golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching the bone registers 160˚, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Let the breast rest 30 minutes before carving. (If the turkey breast is done before the legs, move the legs to the higher rack to help them brown. If the legs are done before the breast is done resting, set aside and tent with foil to keep warm.)
• Serve the turkey legs and breast with the roasted garlic, lemon and shallot.

BRINED ROAST TURKEY WITH PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, bring the water, cloves, ginger, black peppercorn, bay leaves and salt to a boil. Lower to a simmer and stir in the honey and maple syrup until well blended. Turn off heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold tap water. Reserve the neck and specialty meats for pan gravy. Set the turkey in the brine, making sure that the turkey is fully immersed in the brine. Place a weight on top of the turkey to make sure it is always covered with brine. Marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight, depending on the weight of the turkey, in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a shallow roasting pan, place the carrots, celery and onions. Remove turkey from brine.
• Mix together the butter, garlic, chopped rosemary, and sage to make a compound butter. Using your hands, loosen to the skin from the breast by gently inserting your fingers between the skin and the flesh. Rub the compound butter underneath the skin. Insert the apples, onions, and whole rosemary and sage into the cavity of the turkey.
• Place the turkey over the vegetables, breast-side up, in the roasting pan. Tuck the wings back and under the turkey. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together. This will make a compact shape and will create a great presentation. Drizzle the turkey with olive oil and rub it into the skin. Roast the turkey to at least 165 degrees F in the breast, about 2 1/2 hours. If the skin gets too dark during roasting, tent with foil.
• Transfer turkey to a platter and allow to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the pan gravy.
• Tilt the pan and skim as much fat as possible off the juice with a spoon. Set the pan on 2 burners set on medium heat. Deglaze roasting pan with white wine and Madeira. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any brown bits. Reduce until only a quarter remains. Add the Turkey Stock, thyme and parsley. Bring to a boil and strain into a saucepan. Bring back to a boil, skim and lower to a simmer. Whisk in the beurre manie until well incorporated and continue to cook until gravy has thickened. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Heat a saucepan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and heat. Add the neck and giblets and cook until browned all over, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and deglaze with the port. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the port is almost completely evaporated, about 10 minutes.
• Add the carrots, onions, celery, rosemary and peppercorns. Cover with cold water by 4-inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer for 2 hours, adding a little more water, if necessary. Skim any scum that rises to the surface of the stock and discard.
• Strain the stock. Use immediately, or cool and refrigerate for up to 4 days.