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Preparation and Seasoning
Preparation begins by choosing a turkey that will be large enough to feed your guests. There are many options to choose from,
including "free-range" birds and a number of heritage varieties that tend to have a deeper flavor and a greater
proportion of dark meat when compared to the more contemporary hybrids.
Turkey cooking aficionados all agree that the greatest challenge to cooking a turkey lies in the fact that light meat
and dark meat are best prepared when cooked to different temperatures. The light meat (such as the breast) is
perfectly juicy and done at 155F to 160F, while the dark meat (such as the thigh) typically requires temperatures
of 170F - 180F to become fully tender.
One way to level the playing field is to soak the entire turkey in brine overnight. Brine is simply a solution made from
salt, water, sugar, and sometimes other seasonings such as herbs, spices, and fruit juices. Brining ensures the
meat will stay firm and moist during the cooking process by hydrating the cells of the muscle tissue (through
osmosis and diffusion) before cooking. Brining also denatures the protein, which speeds up the overall process
of cooking since this chemical process essentially jump-starts the transformation from raw to cooked. After brining,
the turkey will be ready for seasoning before being roasted to perfection. You should not brine a turkey that
has had saline solution injected into it. I always look for an all-natural or fresh turkey.
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Basic Brine
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup brown sugar
½ gallon water (warm)
1 ½ gallons water (cold)
In a clean 5-gallon bucket, combine the salt and sugar with the warm water and stir to dissolve. Add cold water and mix
to incorporate. Add the fresh or thawed turkey to this solution and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. Reserve
the neck and giblet for roasting the following day. Once the turkey is brined, remove the bird from the brine solution,
rinse it inside and out with cold water, and place it "breast-side up" in the roasting pan. Pat the bird dry with paper
towels, being sure to remove as much moisture from the skin as possible. Discard brine. Note: Do not brine a kosher or
so-called "self-basting" turkey that has been injected with a salt solution.
Seasoning Mix
2 tbsp. canola oil
2-3 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. black pepper
Sprigs of fresh herbs such as thyme, sage, rosemary
1 orange (quartered)
Mix the oil with the dry spices and liberally slather over the turkey and inside the cavity. Place the herb sprigs and
quartered orange inside the cavity. Next, tuck the wing tips under the turkey to prevent burning and simply tie the legs
together with butcher’s twine. Add the reserved giblets and neck to the roasting pan--this will add flavor to the drippings.
Cooking
Once your turkey is brined, rinsed, dried, and seasoned--you are ready to begin the cooking process. The turkey will
benefit from being roasted initially in a very hot oven to help develop some color on the skin.
Begin by placing the turkey in a 450F preheated oven. Roast for 30 minutes until a golden color begins to develop.
Turn the oven down to 350F and place a piece of aluminum foil over the breast to prevent it from becoming too dark.
Roast the turkey until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 155-160F --approximately 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours
(depending on the turkey's exact weight and the accuracy of your oven). A good kitchen thermometer is an essential
tool for this part of the process.
It is very important that, once cooked, the turkey is removed from the roasting pan and has a chance to "rest" for
20-30 minutes before carving. This will help retain moisture in the meat and ensure that you have ample time to heat
the side dishes and prepare the gravy.
Gravy
½ cup dry white wine, stock, or water
3 to 4 cups pan drippings-strained (add chicken stock if necessary)
1/3 cup turkey fat (reserved from drippings)
¼ cup flour
Salt and pepper as needed
Skim all the fat from pan juices, reserving cup of the fat and discarding the rest. A device called a "gravy separator"
works well for this. Next, deglaze the roasting pan with ½ cup white wine or water over medium heat, scraping up the
brown bits. Bring this liquid to a boil. In a saucepan, whisk together the reserved fat and flour to make a roux.
Continue to cook over medium heat for 2 minutes until smooth. Add white wine mixture and strained drippings in a stream
and simmer for 5 minutes--whisking to prevent any lumps. Taste the gravy and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if
necessary.
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