APPLE AND HERB INFUSED ROAST TURKEY

Apple and Herb Infused Roast Turkey image

If you've never injected a turkey, this is a great recipe to try the method. The mixture that is injected into the turkey is mild and has all the flavors you expect in a holiday turkey. You're hit with little bursts of flavor in the slices of turkey. Stuffing the cavity with apples, rosemary, carrots, and onion infuse additional...

Provided by Tammy Brownlow

Categories Turkey

Time 4h

Number Of Ingredients 20

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Ingredients

1 turkey (I used a 20 pounder)
FOR CAVITY:
1 sprig(s) rosemary
1 medium carrot
1/2 medium onion
2 clove garlic
1 stalk(s) celery
1 large Granny Smith apple
FOR INJECTION
1 c chicken broth
1 c apple cider
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp each, fresh ground pepper, granulated garlic
1 sprig(s) rosemary
FOR UNDER SKIN:
1/4 stick butter, room temperature - sliced thin
1 large clove garlic, sliced thin
ADDITIONAL SEASONINGS:
1 slice butter
salt, fresh ground pepper, and poultry seasoning

Steps:

1. Thaw turkey in fridge until you can remove the packet gravy mix, livers - etc, thermometer, and that plastic piece that ALWAYS gives me fits trying to take off.
2. For Injection: Place all ingredient in a microwave-safe bowl EXCEPT cider. Microwave for 2 minutes.
3. Let rosemary steep in the hot liquid about 10 minutes.
4. Add the cider, then place in the refrigerator. This is an important step - you don't want to inject a cold turkey with hot liquid.
5. Prep your veggies. Core apple and quarter. Remove peel from onion and cut in half. Cut carrot and celery into approx 3-inch pieces. Cut rosemary into 2 smaller sprigs. Smash garlic. At this time I go ahead and slice the other clove of garlic into thin slices. It will basically melt away with the butter under the skin.
6. Place veggies, fruit, rosemary sprigs, and smashed garlic in cavity.
7. Separate the skin from the breast as best you can. For me it makes the job easier to use a long rubber spatula handle to reach further.
8. Place the thin butter slices, and garlic slices evenly under both sides of the breast skin. The spatula handle comes in handy for this as well.
9. Use last tab of butter to spread all over exposed turkey. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Don't overdo it. You will have a lot of flavor going into the turkey with the injection.
10. With your injector, at even intervals, inject your turkey with the cider, herb, and spice mixture. Be sure to not only inject the breasts but the legs and thighs as well. You probably will not use the entire amount. I had a large turkey and had a little over 1/4 cup left.
11. I chose to use a cooking bag, but if you prefer to baste you can add the remaining liquid to your roasting pan. More juices will accumulate as you go, so you will have plenty of basting liquid to work with.
12. Spray non-stick cooking spray inside the roasting bag and dust with a little flour. Place the turkey in the roasting bag, rinse the roasting pot, and then place back into the roasting pan.
13. Cut six 1/2 inch slits on top of the bag.
14. Bake as recommended. For my turkey size, it is 3 to 3 1/2 hours in the bag. There are many sites where you can find the cooking times for your turkey.
15. After 3 hours, check the temperature. I check on the inside of the leg where the breast meets the thigh, in the upper thigh area. When the temp reaches 165, set aside and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.
16. This will give you time to bake off your sides, and rolls, before slicing turkey.