BIG, BRINED HERBY TURKEY

BIG, BRINED HERBY TURKEY image

Yield 8-10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 30

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For the brine:
3/4 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
1 whole garlic bulb, cut in half equatorially
1/2 small bunch rosemary
1/2 small bunch sage
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
6 bay leaves
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 15-pound fresh turkey (neck and giblets discarded)
For the herb butter:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
Kosher salt
For the gravy:
2 onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
8 sprigs thyme, tied together with twine
3 bay leaves
Kosher salt
2 cups dry white wine
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 quarts chicken stock

Steps:

Brine the turkey: Combine 2 gallons water with salt, sugar, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary, sage, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves and crushed red pepper in a container, Stir to combine. Submerge the turkey in the brine and refrigerate for 3 days. The night before remove from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Make the herb butter: In a small bowl, combine the butter, rosemary, sage some salt. Using your fingers, carefully work your way under the skin of the turkey to separate it from the breasts and legs. Massage the butter under the skin, then all over the bird. Tie the turkey legs together with twine. In roasting pan, for gravy, combine onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme bundle and bay leaves. Season with salt. Plunk the turkey on top of the veggies and put it in the fridge overnight uncovered. Preheat oven to 450F . Pour wine into the roasting pan and put the turkey in oven for 35 to 40 min, or until it becomes browned. Reduce the heat to 350F. Baste with pan juices and rotate the pan every 30 min for emainder of the cooking time; think 17 min/lb If the turkey starts to get too brown, tent it loosely with foil. Remove turkey from the oven when it registers 165F. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, cover with foil and let it rest for min.