SPICE-CURED TURKEY

Spice-Cured Turkey image

It may seem like a bit of trouble to brine the turkey, but it is well worth it: This is the best turkey we've ever tasted. If you don't have a stockpot large enough to hold the turkey, you can use a new plastic tub instead. It is helpful to have an extra refrigerator to brine the turkey, as it takes up a lot of space.

Yield serves 12 to 14

Number Of Ingredients 44

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Ingredients

4 cups coarse salt
5 cups sugar
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 leeks, cut into 1-inch pieces and cleaned of all sand
3 bay leaves
1 head of garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons whole allspice
8 cups water
1 18 to 20-pound organic turkey
Apple-Chestnut Stuffing (recipe follows)
Spice Butter, softened (recipe follows)
1/2 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
2 cups chestnuts (12 ounces in the shells, 8 ounces shelled)
1 loaf rustic Italian or French bread (about 1 pound)
2 cups prunes, coarsely chopped (12 ounces)
1 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
1 large red onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 green apples, cored, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
(serves 12 to 14)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
(makes 1 cup)

Steps:

In a large stockpot, combine the salt, sugar, carrots, celery, onions, leeks, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, cumin, red pepper flakes, cloves, and allspice. Add the water, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. The brine must cool completely before the turkey is soaked in it: It can be made 1 day ahead or chilled over an ice bath.
Rinse the turkey under cold water; pat dry. Place in a stockpot, breast side down. Add the brine and enough water to cover. Cover the stockpot, and refrigerate overnight. Remove the turkey from the brine; drain.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Fill the cavities with stuffing, being careful not to pack too tightly. Secure the skin over the neck cavity with toothpicks or skewers, and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Rub the turkey generously with spice butter, and place on a rack in a roasting pan.
Place in the oven, and roast 30 minutes. Baste, rotate the pan, and reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Continue basting every 30 to 45 minutes, until the temperature taken in the thickest part of the thigh registers 180°F, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Once the turkey is well browned, cover with foil, in sections, if necessary to prevent overbrowning. Remove the foil for last 30 to 60 minutes, to crisp the skin. Allow the turkey to rest 30 minutes before carving. While the turkey is resting, remove the stuffing.
To make the gravy, pour the liquid from the roasting pan into a gravy skimmer; set aside. Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium-high heat; deglaze with 1/2 cup apple cider, using a wooden spoon to scrape up bits stuck to the pan. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons reserved fat from the pan and the flour; cook 3 to 4 minutes, until browned. Add the reserved apple-cider mixture along with the stock and any separated juices from the pan. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Serve with the turkey.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a chestnut knife or a small paring knife, make an incision about 1/8 inch deep through the shell and into the flesh of the chestnut almost all the way around the circumference of the nut. Transfer to a chestnut pan or rimmed baking pan. Roast in the oven until the chestnuts are tender, about 35 minutes. Turn the oven off. Leaving the pan with the chestnuts in the oven, remove several at a time. Working quickly, place 1 chestnut in a towel, and, holding both, peel the chestnut while still hot. Remove and discard the shells and inner skin; coarsely chop, and set aside.
Remove crusts from the bread, and set aside. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. Place in a single layer on two baking sheets, and toast in the oven until dry, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool. Place the reserved crusts in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until coarse crumbs are formed.
Place the prunes and apple cider in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until all liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the chestnuts, red onion, half the celery, and half the apples. Cook until onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes and crumbs, prune mixture, chestnut mixture, remaining celery, apples, eggs, heavy cream, and sage. Stir to combine. The juices from the brine will season the stuffing; stir before serving.
The stuffing can be baked in turkey until its temperature reaches 165°F. Excess stuffing can be seasoned with salt and pepper and baked in a buttered baking dish, covered, at 350°F for 30 minutes and then uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.
Combine the butter, salt, pepper, thyme, cumin, garlic powder, pepper flakes, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg in a bowl. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer or by hand until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate until ready to use, for up to 4 days.