Thanksgiving Turkey
Ingredients
Brine
- 1 gallon water
- 4 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 onion diced
- 4 oz celery chopped
- 4 oz carrot chopped
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 1/3 bunch sage
- 1/4 bunch parsley
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns
Turkey
- 1 turkey (10-12 pounds)
- 3 sticks butter unsalted, room temperature
- 2 tbsp sage dried
- 1 tbsp rosemary dried
- 1 tbsp thyme dried
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 4 shallot peeled, halved
- 4 oz carrot chopped
- 4 oz celery chopped
Instructions
- Dissolve the salt and sugar in the liquid in a large stockpot. Add the rest of ingredients and the turkey. Place in refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse with cold water. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
- Combine butter, salt, pepper, and herbs in a bowl and mix together. Carefully rub the herbed butter underneath the skin of the turkey and then on top of the skin. Place the shallots, carrots, and celery into the cavity of the turkey. Truss the turkey. Put the turkey on the roasting rack and place in the roasting pan and place in the refrigerator uncovered for 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Pull the turkey out of the refrigerator. Pour 2 cups of chicken stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. Place in oven and roast for 40 minutes. Baste turkey and turn temperature down to 350 degrees F. Continue to baste every 20 minutes. Add more stock if needed. Cook for another 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes or until temperature reaches 165 degrees F when inserted into the thigh meat. Remove from the oven and place on a craving board and tent with foil. Let rest 20 minutes. Save the drippings in the bottom of the roasting pan to make a gravy.