Best Oat And Herb Encrusted Turkey Recipes

BRINED HERB-CRUSTED TURKEY WITH APPLE CIDER GRAVY

Steps:

• To brine the turkey: Combine all of the ingredients for the brine in a large container. Add the turkey and let it brine in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
• To prepare the turkey for cooking: Remove the turkey from the brine the night before roasting and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. Combine the rosemary, sage, and butter for the herb crust in a small bowl. Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Work the butter under the skin of the turkey and massage it into the breasts and the legs. Massage the butter on the outside of the skin as well. Tie the legs together over the breast so they will protect it during cooking and help keep it moist and juicy.
• Gravy preparation: Put the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, apples, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and thyme in a roasting pan and season with salt. Arrange the turkey on top of the veggies and refrigerate overnight UNCOVERED! Yes, that's right, uncovered. This will help the skin dry out and become really brown and crispy. Make sure that there is no raw food near the turkey in the refrigerator. After refrigerating overnight, the turkey is ready to go in the oven.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Put 2 cups chicken stock and 1 cup apple cider in the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until the skin gets really nice and brown, about 40 minutes. Lower the oven heat to 350 degrees F for the remainder of the cooking time. Baste the turkey every 30 minutes or so and add more stock to the roasting pan, if needed. Cook about 17 minutes per pound. Once it gets to the proper color, tent the turkey with aluminum foil to prevent it from getting too dark.
• Remove the turkey from the oven when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the turkey registers 160 degrees F. Make sure that the thermometer is not touching a bone when doing the reading. When the turkey has reached the proper temperature, remove it from the roasting pan to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
• Strain all the veggies over a bowl to separate them from the stock/mixture. Discard the veggies. Skim off the fat and add it to the roasting pan. This is the fat for the roux. Put the roasting pan over 2 burners and over a low heat and whisk in the flour. Cook until the mixture looks like wet sand, about 4 to 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the remaining 1 cup apple cider, remaining chicken stock and the stock/cider mixture. Cook until the mixture has thickened and reached a gravy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour into a serving pitcher or bowl.
• Carve the turkey, transfer to a serving platter and serve with the gravy.
• Give thanks for such a great turkey!!!

HERB ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Wash the turkey, inside and out, and dry well. Coat inside and outside with olive oil. Season turkey on the outside with salt and pepper, pressing it in to adhere. Place 2 rosemary sprigs, 1 thyme sprig, 1 sage sprig, 1 oregano sprig and lemon halves inside the cavity of the turkey. Place cooling rack or roasting rack in bottom of large roasting pan. Place turkey on rack, and arrange carrots, celery and remaining herbs on bottom of pan around turkey. Pour 4 cups (1 carton) chicken broth and water over vegetables and herbs.
• Roast until an instant-read thermometer (inserted deep into the thigh but away from the bone) reads 165°F and juices in the thigh run clear when pierced with a fork, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, basting with pan broth every 30 minutes. Remove turkey from the pan and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Strain and reserve pan juices, and discard vegetables.
• While turkey is resting, make the gravy. In a medium heavy saucepan, cook flour and butter over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until a blond roux is formed. Add pan juices and 4 cups (1 carton) of chicken broth; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce the heat and let simmer until thickened and ready to serve.
• Carve turkey as desired, and serve with gravy.

OATMEAL TURKEY STUFFING

Steps:

• Dice onion and celery.
• Melt butter in a large frying pan or sauce pan.
• Add onion and celery and saute until soft.
• Add oatmeal and seasonings. My mom uses poutry seasoning and that is really nice too.
• Stir until well mixed.
• Moisten with water until clumpy.
• Gently pack into the turkey cavity bottom and top.
• Roast the bird as you would with bread stuffing. It smells wonderful.
• You can also make this as a side dish if you steam it in the pan. Made like that, it's called scurly.