Nov 27, 2008

2.

The number of times I've made the turkey for Thanksgiving.

1.

The number of times that there was almost no leftover Turkey.

The difference? Trial and error.

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Turkey Preparations Timeline:

Two nights before Thanksgiving, brine (soak in salt water/mixture of choice) turkey.

Brine recipe:
1 gallon of Vegetable broth, boiled and cooled to room temp
3/4-1 gal of water (pref. ice)
2 tablespoons thyme
2 tablespoons basil
2 tablespoons italian seasoning
2 tablespoons parsley
(optional-2 tablespoons salt)

Turn turkey about every 8 hours, to ensure that turkey is brine completely.

Early Thanksgiving morning (apprx. 4, or more, hrs before baking), drain all brine. Pat turkey dry, with hand or paper towel. Rub herb generously all over turkey.

Herb Rub:
2-3 tablespoons of each: thyme, basil, italian herb seasoning, parsley, salt, pepper (or any herbs of your choice)
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil (can use butter to substitute)
*oil is used to help seal in moisture while turkey is in oven

For a more even turkey, stuffing is cooked separate of turkey. Rub pepper/salt mixture (2 tablespoons of each, or until desired) into cavity. Squeeze half lemon into cavity. Place in cavity: several stalks of celery, carrots, one apple - chopped in cubes, one onion - chopped.

Truss (tie) the turkey. Sit turkey in position for baking - breast side down. Let turkey sit in refrigerator until baking time.

**breast side down yields much more tender turkey (tastes like chicken!) by allowing breast to soak all drippings during baking.

1. Preheat over to 400ºF for 15-20 minutes
2. Tent the turkey (with aluminum foil)
3. Allow turkey to bake for first 30 minutes at 400ºF, then turn down to 350ºF for the next two hours
4. Turn turkey tray a quarter turn, every half hour.
5. Baste turkey every hour, or when deemed necessary. (I basted turkey only twice the entire time)
6. Final hour, turn turkey breast side up for browning, and temperature check.

Breast - approx. 160ºF
Thigh - approx. 175º - 180ºF

Let turkey sit for half hour before serving to allow moisture to redistribute.

Use drippings from turkey to make gravy.

Gravy:
1 cup chicken broth
6-8 (discretionary) tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup whipping cream
turkey drippings
(optional: can add other ingredients, i.e apple cider, herbs)

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The meat was extremely tender, and had all non-turkey lovers raving about how delightful the turkey turned out. I was asked more than a couple of times what I had done to make the turkey so juicy. I'd say the amount of leftovers (about a plateful) for a 16lb turkey, for a family of 11, including a 2 year old, speaks to the success of this dish! DELISH!