Leave your guests in awe with Chef Jay’s Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe for brining and roasting, and don’t forget the gravy!
Brining Your Turkey
Ingredients:
* 1 gallon water
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 cup (packed) brown sugar
* 1 large onion, sliced
* 1/4 cup garlic cloves, crushed
* Lemon thyme
* 2 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
* 1 tablespoons red pepper flakes
* 2 tsp black peppercorns
* 2 1/2 tsp whole coriander seeds
* 2 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
* 1 bay leaf
Method:
Combine the ingredients in a large pot; bring to a boil. Cool completely. Place the turkey in a container just large enough to hold the bird, pour the brine over the turkey, cover, and chill overnight. Make sure that the turkey is weighted down and entirely covered in the brining mixture. If you have an especially large turkey, add more ingredients proportionately.
Roasting Your Turkey
Ingredients:
* kosher salt and ground black pepper
* 1 bunch of celery, large dice
* 3 large carrots, large dice
* 1 onion, large dice
* 1 cup of water
* 1 stick of butter, room temperature (optional)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Take turkey out of the brine an hour before roasting, rinse, and pat dry.
Place celery, carrots, onion and water in one layer in the bottom of a roasting pan. Season the turkey liberally with salt and pepper, then rub with softened butter. Rest the turkey, breast side down on top of the mound of vegetables. Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour, then turn the turkey over so it is breast side up, tucking the wings under the bird. As the turkey turns a golden brown, baste it with juices from the pan. Use an oven-safe thermometer to take the temperature of the bird. When it reads between 165-170, take the bird out of the oven. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes to let the juices settle. Serve and enjoy!
*Cooking time varies based on weight
12-18 pounds = 3 – 3.5 Hours
Gravy
Ingredients
* 3 tbsp butter
* 3 tbsp flour
* 1 c white wine or water
* 1 cup chicken stock
Method
Take the vegetables out of the roasting pan and set aside. Separately, make a roux; melt three tablespoons of butter and slowly add three tablespoons of flour, cooking until golden colored. Deglaze the roasting pan with one cup of dry white wine, or water. Add a cup of chicken stock to the juices simmering on a low heat. Place the neck and gizzard into the roasting pan and cook over medium heat. Remove the gizzard and neck. Add the roux a spoon at time until the gravy is the desired consistency.
Using a strainer, pour the liquid out of the pan and into your gravy boat and serve!