How to make the Perfect Turkey...

This makes a seriously good bird... I have used this recipe the last two Thanksgivings and everyone says its the best turkey they have ever tasted... It is adapted from a Martha Stuart Recipe... in her November '08 Magazine... I have changed a few things but its mostly the same (my notes will be italicized) ... its super easy... but you do have to start like a week out... IT IS SO WORTH IT... okay, here is what Martha (well actually Ed Bruske... but he works for her) says about the Dry Brine meathod:

"The (salt) encrusted turkey is bagged and refrigerated for two days, allowing ample time for osmosis to act in miraculous ways: tenderizing the meat to its core, retaining its precious juices, and accentuating, but not overshadowing, its inherent flavor-minus the heavy lifting of a wet brine. Put simply, it ensures a perfect, pleasingly plump bird that will transcend everyones expectations."

Roasted Dry Brined Turkey
Serves 12-14


Make ahead tip: Salt the turkey and make giblet stock two days in advance. Make sure you take your turkey out of freezer in plenty of time... usually 5 hours per lb. to defrost in fridge... I take let mine defrost in fridge for 5 days... that means taking turkey out of freezer 7 days before cooking.

FOR THE TURKEY

• Course salt and freshly ground pepper
• 14 dried bay leaves, 12 crushed, 4 left whole
• 1 whole fresh turkey (22 to 24 lb..) I use frozen cause that is our only option here in Japan, giblets and neck reserved for Simple Giblet Stock (recipe follows)
• 8 ounces (2 sicks) unsalted butter, softened plus more for baking dish if needed
• 1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc I used white cooking wine once cause I forgot and it still was good
• Two crisp sour apples (granny smith, jonagold) and 1 onion all cut into 8ths
• 1 cup water plus more if needed

FOR THE PAN GRAVY

• Pan drippings, reserved from turkey
• 1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat)
• Simple Giblet Stock (recipe follows) or 4 cups homemade or store bought turkey or chicken stock
• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Course salt and fresh ground pepper

1. Make the turkey: Combine 2/3 cup salt and 10 crushed bay leaves in a small bowl. Rinse inside and outside of turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub 2 tablespoons salt mixture evenly inside turkey cavity, 2 tablespoons on each leg portions, 1 1/2 teaspoon on each wing, and 2 tablespoons on each breast. If you have extra salt just rub wherever looks empty. Place turkey in large oven bag and seal tightly, removing any trapped air. Place in a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate for 48 hours.

2. Remove turkey from bag, and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Combine 1 stick butter, the wine, and whole bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to simmer, then remove from heat.

3. Preheat oven to 425 with rack in lowest position. Rinse inside and outside of turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Gently work hands between breast and skin on top of turkey separating the two. Take 1/2 stick of softened butter, add two crushed bay leaves and fresh cracked pepper. Take butter mixture and spread in-between the breast and skin on the top of the turkey. Fill cavity with apples and onions and then tie the legs securely with kitchen string. Then tie the wings down by taking a string from the neck cavity around the sides and down to the legs securing them to the body of the turkey. Place turkey breast side down on roasting rack. Rub the remaining 1/2 stick of butter on the turkey and season with salt and pepper. Pour water into roasting pan. 

4. Place turkey legs first into the oven. Roast for 30 minutes, then baste with butter-wine mixture. Reduce temperature to 350, and roast, basting with butter-wine mixture & rotating turkey every 30 minutes for 2 hours. (Add more water to roasting pan if necessary to prevent pan dripping from burning.)  After the 2 hours flip turkey breast side up and continue roasting and basting until skin is golden brown and thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 45 to 1 hour more. Transfer turkey to a rimmed baking sheet, reserving pan juices and roasting pan, and let rest for 30 minutes breast side down before carving.

5. Make the pan gravy: Pour reserved pan juices into a glass measuring cum or a gravy separator, and let stand until fat rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, pour or spoon off fat.

6. Place reserved roasting pan on 2 burners over medium heat. Add wine, and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping browned bits with a wooden spoon. Whisk flour and giblet stock in a large bowl until combined. Add defatted pan juices, whisking to combine, then pour to roasting pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half and thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

7. Remove pan from heat, and whisk in butter. Strain through a sieve, and discard solids. Stir in parsley Season with salt and pepper if desired.

SIMPLE GIBLET STOCK

makes 4 cups

• Giblets and neck reserved from 1 turkey
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
• 1 carrot scrubbed and coarsely chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 fresh bay leaf 
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 6 cups cold water

Put all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring all to boil. Reduce heat, cover partially, and gently simmer, skimming foam from surface as needed, until reduced to 4 cups, about 2 hours. Stain, and discard solids. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

YAY for turkey. I hope you try it... Let me explain the two biggest things I changed... 

1. not putting stuffing in the turkey... stuffing cooked in the turkey is often not done when the rest of the turkey is so that means an extra step taking it back out and putting it in a dish and then cooking it some more... or an overdone turkey... so instead I put apples and onion to enhance the turkey and make extra giblet stock to use in the stuffing (cooked separately) to enhance it. 

2. I roast the turkey breast side down for most of the time so the juices rest in the breast... this is also why I let it rest breast side down... trust me it works... when I go to check the temp of the breast and pull the thermometer out the turkey usually squirts juice across the room!