A SUPER LEGIT Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (No Shortcuts)

Good cooking takes time. This isn't your run-of-the-mill, 30-minute quick-fix poultry dish. Oh, no. We're talking brining, drying, glazing, basting, roasting, and a whole lot of waiting. We're not simply cooking here; we're weaving an aromatic tale of culinary patience and gastronomic reward. Brining is where the magic starts – the simple combo of salt, sugar, and water, injected with a cocktail of enticing aromatics, lets the bird drink up all that juicy goodness. This isn't just about wetting the turkey's whistle, it's a transformative spa treatment. Ensuring the turkey is juicy, tender, and flavorful.

Brining aside, our mighty bird is set on a two-day journey of drying and glazing. This isn’t some slapdash effort. It's a meticulous operation involving a sherry-maple glaze, a compound butter, and a night spent in the cold confines of the fridge to let the skin dry out. The compound butter isn’t just butter, it's a harmonious blend of minced parsley, sage, garlic, orange zest, and black pepper that has a way of making everything it touches taste ten times better. To top it all off, we're smearing our bird with this herby, zesty goodness and then massaging it into every crevice.

Roasting day is the climax, the pièce de résistance. After hours of anticipation, our butter-laden beauty finally meets the heat, the sizzling dance of roasting begins. All that earlier preparation is now put to the test. The result is a bird that's as golden as a summer sunset, and as juicy as a peach in peak season. The accompanying gravy made from a nutty roux and rich giblets is the bow on this gastronomic gift. So, set aside your preconceived notions of dry, bland turkey. Here, we're serving up an epic story of patience, flavor, and, most importantly, damn good food. 🤘🏼 Adam

Yield: 8-10

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Adam's Brined Thanksgiving Turkey

Cook time: 4 HourInactive time: 36 HourTotal time: 40 Hour

Ingredients

Turkey & Brine

• 12-14 pounds Whole Turkey, giblets removed
• 5% Kosher Salt *see note
• 3% Brown Sugar *see note
• 2 Oranges, halved
• 1 Onion, halved
• 8 Garlic Cloves
• 3 inches Ginger
• 1 Tbsp Cloves
• 1 Tbsp Star Anise
• 2 Tbsp Allspice
• 2 Tbsp Green Cardamom
• 2 Tbsp Black Peppercorn
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 1 bunch Fresh Thyme
• 1 bunch Fresh Rosemary
• 1 bunch Fresh Parsley

Compound Butter

• 2 sticks Unsalted Butter (16 tbsps), room temperature
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, minced
• 1 tbsp Fresh Sage, minced
• 1 tbsp Orange Zest
• 1 tsp Black Pepper

Glaze

• 2 cups Sherry Vinegar
• 3/4 cup Maple Syrup
• 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt, more to taste

Gravy

• 6 Tbsp Butter
• 8 Tbsp AP Flour
• Turkey Giblets and Neck
• 1/2 cup Dry White Wine
• 4 cups Chicken Stock
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• Juice of half a lemon
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Brining the Turkey: Start by obtaining a large enough vessel to submerge your whole turkey in. Using a container that's approximately 22 quarts is optimal. For a turkey that weighs around 12 pounds, weigh your water in grams to ensure full submersion of the bird. To do this, place the turkey in the brining container and fill it until the water covers the bird. Remove the turkey and record the weight of the water.
2. Transfer about a quarter of the water to a large Dutch oven or a similar-sized pot. Dissolve 5% salt and 3% brown sugar by weight in this water, heating it on medium. This will be the core of your brine, responsible for ensuring a juicy turkey. Feel free to add aromatics of your choice to this mixture (such as herbs, garlic, or citrus peel), and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes to infuse the flavors.
3. Pour the hot brine mixture into your remaining cool water. Add some ice to further cool it down, ensuring it's completely chilled before introducing your turkey to it. Immerse the turkey in the brine, ensuring it's completely submerged (you can use a dinner plate or similar object to weigh it down). Cover and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours to allow the bird to absorb the salt and sugar.
4. Drying and Glaze Preparation: On the second day, remove the turkey from the brine, rinsing it thoroughly in cold water to get rid of excess salt and any spices or herbs that may be sticking to it. Transfer the turkey to a double-foiled baking sheet fitted with a rack, tucking in the wings under the breast. Leave the whole thing uncovered overnight in the fridge to help the skin dry out and crisp up during cooking.
5. In your downtime, prepare a sherry-maple glaze by combining 2 cups of sherry vinegar and 3/4 cup maple syrup in a saucepan. Add a touch of salt and reduce it by about a third over medium heat. Store it in the fridge until you're ready to use it. For an umami boost, consider adding a small amount of fish sauce to your glaze.
6. Roasting the Turkey and Gravy Preparation: On day three, begin by taking your butter and turkey out of the fridge two hours before you want to start cooking. If you wish, remove the turkey's wishbone to make carving easier later on. Using a flexible knife, cut around the bone, then slip it out with your fingers.
7. Gently wiggle your hands underneath the breast skin of the turkey to create room for the butter. Make sure your butter is at room temperature before stuffing it underneath the breast skin, then press it to distribute it evenly. Slather the remaining butter all over the turkey.
8. Truss the turkey by tying the legs together with kitchen twine. This step is not strictly necessary, but can help the bird cook more evenly. Lightly season the outside of the bird with a touch of salt (remember, the inside is already seasoned due to the brining process), then add a touch of water to the tray to prevent scorching.
9. Preheat your oven to 475°F (246°C) and roast the turkey for 15 minutes. This short burst of intense heat will jumpstart the skin crisping process. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (149°C) and continue to roast the turkey, basting it with the sherry glaze every 30 minutes.
10. Gravy Preparation: While the turkey is roasting, start on your gravy. Melt equal parts butter and all-purpose flour in a saucepan over medium heat to create a roux. Stir continuously for about 3-4 minutes until it turns light brown. This forms the base of your gravy and will give it a rich, nutty flavor.
11. After removing the neck and giblets from the turkey, simmer them in 2 quarts of water, alongside vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions, and aromatics such as thyme and bay leaves. Let this simmer for about 2-3 hours to create a rich turkey stock.
12. Once your stock is done, strain it and discard the solids. Slowly whisk about 1 quart of the stock into your roux, making sure it's fully incorporated before adding more to prevent lumps.
13. Let the gravy simmer for about 20 minutes to thicken, then season to taste with salt and pepper. If you like, you can also add a splash of sherry vinegar or white wine to add complexity to your gravy's flavor.
14. Finalizing the Turkey Roast: After around 2.5-3 hours of roasting at 300°F (149°C), or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast reads 150°F (66°C), and 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh, your turkey should be ready. Remove it from the oven, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
15. After resting, carve your turkey. Start by removing the legs and thighs, then slice the breast meat. Arrange the carved turkey on a serving platter and serve with your homemade gravy and desired sides.

Adam's Notes

Calculate Gradient Brine:

• Desired Brine Salinity (5%) x Water Weight = Salt Weight
• Desired Brine Sweetness (3%) x Water Weight = Sugar Weight