Best Brined Roast Turkey

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 (12 -16 lb) whole turkey (allow 1 lb per person, adding .5 lb per person for big eaters or if you want leftovers)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2-1 3/4 cups kosher salt
• 2 1/2 gallons cold water
• 2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• 5 allspice berries, crushed
• 4 juniper berries, smashed
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• butter, for basting
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup turkey stock (or more)

Recipe

• 1 brining: remove giblet bag from turkey, along with any extra internal fat and pin feathers. rinse well under cold tap water.
• 2 combine sugar, salt and 1 gallon of water in a large bowl; stir until sugar and salt dissolve.
• 3 add bay leaves, thyme, garlic, allspice berries and juniper berries.
• 4 double-bag two heavy-duty, unscented trash bags (do not use bags made of recycled materials) and put them in an ice chest that is large enough to hold the turkey.
• 5 place turkey in bags, pour in brine and remaining 1 1/2 gallons water; there should be enough liquid to completely cover the bird.
• 6 press out air in bags; tightly close each bag separately. keep turkey cold with bags of ice, which will also help keep it submerged. let brine for 12-24 hours.
• 7 alternate method: place turkey and brine in a pan large enough for bird to be completely submerged. weight it down with a plate and cans to keep it submerged in brine. refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
• 8 air-dry: after brining, rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels. place the turkey in a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. refrigerate, uncovered, 12 to 24 hours. turn the bird over halfway through drying time.
• 9 roasting (convection): preheat convection oven to 375°.
• 10 spread 2 tablespoons softened butter over skin; sprinkle skin and cavity with 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper.
• 11 tuck wing tips under and tie legs together. place bird breast-up, in a v- shaped roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. cover breast and top of thighs tightly with foil.
• 12 roast for 45 minutes. remove foil and baste with 1/2 cup turkey stock. leave foil off.
• 13 return turkey to oven. baste with pan drippings every 20 minutes, adding more stock and butter as necessary, until internal thigh temperature reaches 165°. a 12-16-pound bird will cook in about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours.
• 14 let turkey rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
• 15 roasting (conventional oven): preheat oven to 400°.
• 16 spread 2 tablespoons softened butter over skin; sprinkle skin and cavity with 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper.
• 17 tuck wing tips under, loosely truss legs and place turkey on a v-shaped rack in a roasting pan. tent breast with foil.
• 18 put turkey in oven. to assure that the bird cooks evenly, rotate roasting pan 180° every 30 minutes while turkey is roasting. roast for about 1 hour, remove foil and baste turkey with 1/2 cup stock.
• 19 return to oven and roast, basting with pan drippings every 20 minutes, adding more stock and butter as necessary. start checking internal temperature after about 1 hour of roasting time. if legs begin to get too brown, cover loosely with foil. roast turkey until internal thigh temperature reaches 165°. total roasting time should be about 2 to 2 3/4 hours.
• 20 let bird rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving.