Holiday Brined and Roasted Turkey

Prep Time for Brine: At least 4 hours and up to 24 hours

Cook Time: 4 hours

1- (10 to 12-pound) Turkey

Brine Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 c. salt
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 2 oranges, quartered
• 2 lemons, quartered
• 6 sprigs of thyme
• 4 sprigs of rosemary

Brine Directions:

1. Remove the neck, giblets, and liver from the cavity of the turkey and reserve for the gravy.  Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water.  Place aside.
2. Dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a clean heavy-duty plastic garbage bag.   We’ve found that the large garbage bags work easiest when doing an over night brine.
3. Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.
4. Place turkey into the brine.
5. When brining over night, put the large plastic bag with the turkey in a large cooler and cover bag with ice to keep it chilled until ready to put into the oven.

Note: If you have a big turkey and need more brine than this, use ½ cup salt and ½cup brown sugar for every gallon of water. 

Roasting Ingredients:

• Whole stick of unsalted butter (8 Tablespoons)
• 4 T. unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into 8ths
• 1 large orange, cut into 8ths
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1½ to 2 c. chicken or turkey stock, for basting

Roasting Directions:

1. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water.  Pat dry with paper towels, inside and out – this is important because butter will not stick to a wet turkey.
2. Place breast side down in a large, heavy roasting pan, and rub on all sides with the butter.
3. Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper.
4. Stuff the turkey with the onion, orange, celery, carrot, bay leaves, and thyme.  Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string.
5. Roast the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour.  Remove from the oven, turn the turkey over, and baste with drippings at the bottom of the roasting pan.  Continue roasting breast side up until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165-degrees when inserted into the largest section of thigh (avoiding the bone), about 2¾ to 3 hours total cooking time.  Baste turkey once every hour with the drippings at the bottom of the roasting pan.
6. Remove from the oven and place on a platter.  Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.