How to Roast a Brined Turkey
For a perfectly moist and flavorful turkey without the addition of butter or oil, immerse your turkey in a brine solution overnight. This method will make you reconsider all other turkey preparations.
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Ingredients
- Citrus and Herb Brine:
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp green peppercorns
- 1 tbsp red peppercorns
- 10 sage leaves
- 2 tbsp thyme
- 6 bay leaves
- 1 lemon peel
- 1 orange peel
- 2 gallons water total
- one fresh turkey
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
Instructions
- 1
The evening prior to roasting the turkey, take out the giblets and thoroughly rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water.
- 2
In a pot, bring 1 gallon of water and your brining mixture to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Once boiled, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. To expedite the cooling process, you can add some ice.
- 3
Once the brine has cooled, mix it with 1 gallon of ice water, then fully submerge the turkey in the brine solution. A brining bag works well for this, but a large container or a 5-gallon bucket will suffice too.
- 4
Place the turkey in the refrigerator overnight. If the brine does not completely cover the turkey, remember to flip it halfway through the brining period.
- 5
On the day of cooking, one hour before you intend to roast the turkey, take it out of the brine and discard the liquid. Rinse the turkey thoroughly with cold water and pat it dry with paper towels. Set it in a roasting pan; a simple disposable aluminum pan is perfectly acceptable. Allow the turkey to sit at room temperature for one hour.
- 6
Preheat your oven to 325°F.
- 7
Position the turkey, breast side facing up, on the center rack of a shallow roasting pan that is 2 to 2½ inches deep. Roast it in the oven for approximately 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast reaches 170°F.
- 8
Every 45 minutes, baste the turkey with the juices collected in the pan. Once the thermometer reads 170°F in the deepest section of the breast, take the turkey out of the oven and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.