It’s simple … juicy … and perfectly browned. Everything a Thanksgiving turkey should be.
The Day Before Thanksgiving – Brine the Turkey
Brining is similar to marinating, in that it makes the meat that much more tender. It will make your bird extremely juicy, and will make your gravy incredible. If you’ve never brined your turkey before, give it a shot.
But first, a small warning … you’ll never go back.
Ingredients:
- 1 Gallon Vegetable Broth
- 1 Cup Sea Salt
- 1 Tbs Crused Dried Rosemary
- 1 Tbs Dried Sage
- 1 Tbs Dried Thyme
- 1 Tbs Dried Savory
- 1 Gallon Ice Water
Directions:
- In a large stockpot, combine all of the ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, to make sure the salt is dissolved.
- Cool the broth, and then pour it into a clean 5-gallon bucket.
- Stir in the ice water.
- Wash and dry your turkey, making sure to remove the innards. (Dig around – sometimes there are two bags!)
- Place the turkey in the bucket, breast-side down, making sure that the cavity gets filled.
- Place the bucket in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next morning, remove the turkey. Drain off the excess brine and pat dry. (Throw the brine away.)
- When you’re ready, move on to the next recipe for cooking the turkey.
Note about brining: Brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster, so watch the temperature gauge.
Thanksgiving Day – Start Cooking the Turkey Early!
Ingredients:
- 1 12-Pound Turkey (Just up the recipe for a bigger turkey!)
- 6 Tbs Butter from a Stick, Divided Into 6 Single Tablespoons
- 4 Cups Warm Water
- 3 Tbs Chicken Bouillon
- 2 Tbs Dried Parsley
- 2 Tbs Dried Minced Onion
- 2 Tbs Seasoned Salt
- Tin Foil
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- If you haven’t brined your turkey, rinse and wash it, and then pat dry. Make sure you remove the innards, or add to the pan if you’re planning to include them in the gravy.
- Place the turkey in a Dutch oven or roasting pan.
- Separate the skin over the breast to make little pockets. Just lift the skin’s edge, and stick your fingers under it, sliding your hands under the skin, and running them over the breast.
- Put 3 tablespoons of butter on each side between the skin and breast meat. (Don’t skip this step – it makes the breast meat very juicy!)
- In a medium bowl, combine the water and bouillon.
- Add parsley and minced onion, and then pour over the top of the turkey.
- Sprinkle the seasoning salt over the entire turkey.
- Cover with foil, and bake in a preheated oven 3 ½ to 4 hours, until internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 degrees F.
Note: Remove the foil the last 45 minutes, so that the turkey browns nicely.
