Turns out the formula for a classic turkey is far simpler than we imagined—a lot of time, a little patience, and a good amount of salt.
Be it your first time or your fifteenth to make the Thanksgiving turkey, you have one objective (or, if you’re especially nervous, a few hundred fraught prayers): let it be good. Culturally, a Thanksgiving turkey is considered a culinary hurdle. The reason for this? Turkey is not an easy protein to serve as the proud centerpiece of our national holiday.
Consequently, turkey-cooking methods have been hotly debated for years. The Internet—where surely everyone is an expert—turns this timeless debate into the Wild West. If navigating the uncharted territory of roasting versus deep-frying, brining versus basting, oven temp versus cook time is your kind of adventure, bon voyage! But if you simply want your turkey to taste good without a lot of work or research, then follow the course of those who have gone before you, the path that leads to a beautifully brown, juicy turkey: brining.
Brining’s secret power is time, allowing you to focus on the rest of your Thanksgiving spread while making your bird moist and tender. Through the slow magic of osmosis, submerging a turkey in an aromatic salt solution for hours breaks down muscle fibers and infuses the meat with flavor. The result? A juicy bird that can stand up to the hottest oven—which you need to achieve the holy grail of turkey roasting: golden, crisp skin. Turns out the formula for a classic turkey is far simpler than we imagined—a lot of time, a little patience, and a good amount of salt.
CLASSIC HERB & APPLE CIDER BRINED TURKEY //
Ingredients:
3 cups apple cider
1.5 gallons water
8 fresh sage leaves
2 Tbs. fresh rosemary
5 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 cups kosher salt
2 cups brown sugar
3 Tbs. whole peppercorns
5–6 fresh bay leaves
1 medium turkey (14–16 lbs.), thawed or fresh
Peels of 2–3 oranges
Extra aromatics for roasting: 1 apple 1–2 oranges Garlic cloves
Instructions:
1. Remove neck and giblets from inside turkey. Rinse bird thoroughly, place in pan, and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
2. Combine all brine ingredients except water in a large pot. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar; bring to a boil. Once the mixture has reached a boil, add the water and stir. Let brine mixture cool fully. (Place it in the refrigerator or freezer temporarily to speed the cooling process.)
3. Place the turkey into a brining bag and pour cooled brine over turkey. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least one hour per pound of turkey. Turn turkey over at least once during brining.
4. When ready to cook, remove turkey from brine, rinse well, and thoroughly pat dry. Let the turkey come to room temperature (about an hour) while you preheat the oven to 500ºF.
5. Using your hands, rub butter liberally over the turkey and under the breast skin. Season with salt and pepper after buttering. If you have any aromatics handy (apple, orange, garlic cloves, leftover herbs), cut roughly and place into the turkey’s cavity.
6. Place bird in a roasting pan breast up and slide into preheated oven. Roast at high heat for 20–30 minutes to crisp and brown the skin. When it’s nicely browned, remove the turkey from oven, place a foil shield over breast, and turn oven down to 350oF. Return turkey to oven and roast for 2 to 2.5 hours, or until a probe inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 161ºF. Do not open the oven, and do not baste during roasting.
7. Let turkey rest for about half an hour, covered, before carving.
