A huge turkey roasted to a burnished mahogany is the bodacious centerpiece of any Thanksgiving. Much of the time, unfortunately, it looks better than it tastes. Turkey is a naturally dry meat; like most cooks, I compensate for the dryness by immersing it in a two-day brine (Whole Foods sells brining bags that are perfect for this task). The brine adds moisture to the meat and it also adds flavor. Rosemary or sage, black pepper and mustard seed are some of my favorite seasonings for the turkey. The sugar in the brine will make the skin darken a little prematurely, so I like to cover the bird halfway through the cooking, and uncover for the last half-hour so it doesn’t steam. J.B.
Roast Turkey
Recipe by John Broening.
Ingredients
For the brine:
2 gallons water
2 cups salt
3 cups sugar
Handful fresh sage
3 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
For the turkey:
One 12-15 pound turkey, rinsed and dried
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lemon, halved
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 stick unsalted butter,softened butter
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Directions
In a large saucepan, bring all bring ingredients the mixture to a boil. Cool completely. Place the turkey in brining bag or in large pot. Cover with brine (if using a pot, you will need to weigh down the turkey with a few plates). Refrigerate for about 48 hours. Remove from brine and pat dry.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Season the bird all over with salt and pepper. Make a number of slits in the bird and stuff the garlic into them. Rub the skin with the lemon juice, then the olive oil, then the butter. Stuff the cavity with the stuffing.
Place the bird on a rack set in a roasting pan. Roast for about 3 hours (about 20 minutes per pound) or until golden brown. Baste periodically with the juices in the bottom of the pan. Cover the skin with foil and roast another hour. Remove the foil and cook another half-hour. A meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh should read about 150 degrees. (Editor’s note: While most chefs cook turkey to a lower temperature, the USDA suggests 165 degrees.)
Remove the bird from the oven. Place on a rack set on a sheet tray, loosely cover with foil, and rest 1 hour before carving.
