Throwback Turkey Prep with Sonny and Maria

Throwback Turkey Prep with Sonny and Maria

Randazzo Fresh Market Turkey Brining Solution:

Ingredients : 

1 ½ cup Kosher Salt

6 Bay Leaves

2 Tbs Coriander Seeds

1 Tbs Dried Juniper Berries

2 Tbs Allspice

2 Tbs. Whole Black Peppercorns

4 sprigs dried Rosemary

4 sprigs dried Thyme

Additional Needed Ingredients:

12 cups Water

½ gal Apple Cider

12 cups Ice Water

Turkey Brining Bag

Roasting Pan, Ice Chest or 5 Gallon Container

10 – 25 lb fresh or thawed turkey

Why Brine?

Brining is a wonderful way to ensure a succulent turkey for your holiday dinner table. This preparation uses a large amount of salt, but your turkey will not turn out salty. The salt allows the flavors of the brine to penetrate the meat.  The brine solution adds moisture and flavor to the meat by drawing it in and hydrating the muscle tissue allowing it to retain the moisture while cooking, resulting in moist and succulent meat. 

Brining Instructions:

Makes enough brine for a 10 – 25 pound turkey. 

Remove the contents of the bag, separating the bag off salt from the balance of the contents.  Crush the herbs and spices (everything but the salt) in order to allow them to release their flavor.  In a large sauce pan, pour the contents of the bag, and the salt from its bag, into 12 cups of water and stir to combine.  Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently, until the salt is dissolved.  Take the sauce pan off the heat and mix in ½ gallon Apple Cider and 12 cups ice water.  Allow mixture to cool to room temperature before adding it to the turkey.

Remove the neck and giblets from inside the thawed turkey.  Rinse the turkey inside and out, then place it, breast side down, in a turkey brining bag.  Place the brining bag in a 5 gallon container that will hold the turkey and bag, such as the roasting pan or ice chest.  Carefully pour the brining solution into the bag, remove all the air from the bag and seal it.  Place into a 34 – 40 degree refrigerator.  Brine the turkey for at least 1 hour per pound, up to 24 hours. 

Remove turkey from brine and rinse inside and out with cool water, discard the brine and pat the turkey dry. 

Pre-Roasting and Roasting Instructions:

Allow the turkey to warm to room temperature, 1 to 1 ½ hours, then put Herbed Butter Mixture between the meat and skin, place Aromatics into the cavity of the turkey, truss and roast.

Herbed Butter Mixture:

Combine a room temperature stick of butter with your favorite herbs (we suggest Herb from Provence or a mixture of the following fresh herbs, rosemary, thyme, marjoram and sage) and salt and pepper to taste. Two thirds of this mixture should be rubbed between the meat and skin, and the balance on the outside of the bird before cooking. During the roasting, the butter compound melts into the meat while the skin becomes crisp and golden-brown. The result, a moist and flavorful turkey with rich pan drippings exceptional for a delectable gravy

Aromatics for the Cavity:

Place the following ingredients onto cheesecloth, and tie shut with twine:

1 Quartered and Cored Tart Apple

1/2 Peeled and Quartered Vidalia Onion

2 Sprigs Rosemary

2 Sprigs Thyme

2 Sprigs Sage

2 Sprigs Marjoram

Trussing:

Trussing or tying a turkey allows for an evenly cooked bird. Trussing enables the turkey to maintain its shape which aides in carving once the twine is removed.  Place the turkey breast side up. Cross the legs at the ankle and loop the twine over, around and under where the legs are crossed several times. Make a secure knot and cut off excess twine. Tuck the wings under the body at the first joint.

Choosing the proper size roasting pan:

The following chart is a great guide in choosing the correct size pan for your turkey. Up to 12 lb turkey requires a 14″ x 10″ x 2 3/4″ roasting pan, up to a 16 lb turkey requires a 15 1/4 ” x 12″ x3″ pan, and up to a 20 lb turkey requires a 16″ x 13″ x 3″ pan. Always put your turkey on a rack so that your turkey will roast evenly.

What temperature and how long should you cook your turkey:

Place your turkey in a preheated 425 degree oven, breast side down for 25 minutes.

Flip your bird (breast side up) and continue roasting at 350 degrees until the thickest part of the thigh meat reaches 171 degrees, & the breast meat reaches 161 degrees.

The following chart is a guide for total cooking time based on your size bird:

• A 10 to 12 lb turkey will require 2 1/2 to 3 hrs.
• A 12 to 14 lb turkey will require 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 hrs.
• A 14 to 16 lb turkey will require 3 to 3 3/4 hrs.
• A 16 to 18 lb turkey will require 3 1/4 to 4 hrs.
• A 18 to 20 lb turkey will require 3 1/2 to 4 1/4 hrs.
• And a 20 + lb turkey will require 3 3/4 to 4 1/2 hrs.

Once you pull your turkey from the oven, cover it loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving. During this resting time your turkey will continue cooking and reach its serving temp. of 175 degrees in the leg, & 165 degrees in the breast and stuffing.

The above cooking times are based on 13 to 15 minutes per pound cooking time. An additional 30 to 60 minutes must be added if the bird is stuffed.

One final tip, if the breast is cooking at a faster rate than the thighs, or if it has reached its peak browning, simply cover the breast with an aluminum foil tent to slow down the cooking process.

Turkey carving basics:

1. Remove the thigh and drumstick. Cut through the skin where the leg and breast meets. While pulling the leg away from the body with your fork, cut down close to the body and right through the joint that connects the thigh to the body. Repeat on other leg.

2. Separate the thigh from the drumstick by placing the leg skin side down and locating the line at the joint where the thigh and drumstick meet. Cut along this line and through the connecting joint. You may need to adjust the angle of your knife if you hit resistance while cutting through the joint.

3. Remove the wings in the same fashion as used to remove the legs. Pull the wing back and cut down through the joint connecting the wing to the body.

4. Remove the wishbone/collarbone.

5. To remove the breast meat, run you knife through the skin along the side of the breastbone and then down along the ribs. Pull the meat away from the ribs while slicing the meat from the ribs.

6.  Now that you have carved your turkey, slice the meat for plating, serve and enjoy! Happy Holidays!!

A final word of caution, as with all poultry, wash hands, cutting boards, utensils, and preparation surfaces thoroughly with soap and warm water after handling.