Brined, Herb-Roasted Turkey
Submitted by: JustRightMenus
Description:
We had this at a friend's holiday party and it was *incredible*!
Servings: 6-8
Categories: party food, turkey
From the kitchen of:
Food Network; Emeril Lagasse, 2007
Ingredients
Brine
1 c. salt
1 c. brown sugar
2 oranges, quartered
2 lemons, quartered
6 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs rosemary
1 (10 to 12-pound) turkey
Turkey Stuffing
1 large orange, cut into 1/8ths
4 TB unsalted butter at room temperature
salt and pepper
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/8ths
1 stalk celery, cut into 1" pieces
1 large carrot, cut into 1" pieces
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
1/2 bunch sage
3-4 sprigs parsley
1 1/2 to 2 c. chicken or turkey stock, for basting
Turkey Broth - will become an ingredient in the gravy
1 TB vegetable oil
Reserved turkey neck and giblets
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 large celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 small bay leaf
3 c. turkey stock, chicken stock, or canned low-salt chicken broth
3 c. water
Gravy
4 c. turkey broth
1 c. dry white wine
4 TB unsalted butter
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
BRINE
Dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons cold water in a nonreactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a large heavy-duty food-grade plastic storage bag.
Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.
Note: if you have a very large turkey and need more brine than this, use 1/2 c. salt and 1/2 c. brown sugar for every gallon of water.
Remove the lneck, giblets, adn liver from teh cavity of the turkey and reserve for the gravy. Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water.
Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
BAKE
Preheat the oven to 325°
Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels inside and out.
Place turkey, breast side up, in a large, heavy roasting pan.
Rub turkey with orange segments and rub on all sides with the butter, stuffing some underneath the skin. Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper.
Stuff the turkey with the onion, remaining orange, celery, carrot, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, sage, and parsley.
Loosely tie th edrumsticks together with kitchen string.
Roast the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour.
Remove from the oven, turn, and baste with 1/2 c. stock. Continue roasting with the brast side up until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165° when inserted into the largest section of thigh (avoiding the bone), about 2 3/4 to 3 hours total cooking time.
Baste the turkey once every hour with 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock.
Remove from the oven and place on a platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
BROTH
Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over lmedium-high heat. Add the turkey neck, heart, and gizzard (NOT the liver) to the pan and saute until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute.
Add the chopped vegetables and bay leaf to the pan and saute until soft, about 2 minutes.
Pour the stock and 3 c. of water into the pan and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the stock is reduced to 4 cups, about 1 hour, adding the chopped liver to the pan during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Strain the stock into a clean pot or large measuring cup.
Pull the meat off the neck, chop the neck meat and giblets, and set aside.
PAN GRAVY
Pour the reserved turkey pan juices into a glass measuring cup and skim off the fat.
Place the roasting pan on 2 stovetop burners overl medium heat; add the pan juice and 1 c. turkey broth.
Add the white wine to deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape any brown bits from teh bottom of the pan.
Add the remaining 3 cups of brothand bring to a simmer, then stransfer to a measuring cup.
In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, to make a light roux.
Add the hot stock, whisking constantly, then simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Add the reserved neck meat and giblets to the pan and adjust seasoning, to taste, with salt and black pepper.
Pour into a gravy boat and serve.