Turkey Recipe

Prepare the brine

In a large pot, combine 1 cup kosher salt and 1 cup brown sugar with 2 liters of hot water. Stir until dissolved. Add bay leaves, peppercorns, and smashed garlic. Remove from heat and add remaining water and ice to cool the brine to near refrigerator temperature (about 4–10°C / 40–50°F).

Brine the turkey

Place the turkey (rump and neck removed if desired) in a clean brining bag or a large nonreactive container. Pour the cooled brine over the turkey so it is fully submerged. Add rosemary, thyme, and the quartered orange to the cavity and into the brine. Refrigerate or keep on ice for 12–16 hours (overnight) for a 12–14 lb bird.

Rinse and dry

After brining, remove the turkey from the brine, discard the brine, and thoroughly rinse the turkey inside and out under cold water to remove excess salt. Pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels. For crisper skin, place the turkey uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight to air-dry the skin.

Make compound butter

In a bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter with olive oil, lemon zest, minced garlic, chopped parsley, chopped sage, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Mix thoroughly until smooth and fully combined.

Prepare turkey for roasting

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Remove the turkey from the refrigerator. Tuck the wing tips under the bird. Gently loosen the skin over the breast by sliding your hand between the skin and the meat; smear about two-thirds of the compound butter directly under the skin over the breast meat. Rub the remaining butter all over the exterior of the turkey. Place the onion, carrots and celery in the bottom of a large roasting pan to form a rack and add 1–2 cups of stock to the pan to keep the vegetables from burning.

Roast the turkey

Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack set over the vegetables in the roasting pan. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone. Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 30 minutes to develop color, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C). Continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thigh and 160°F (71°C) in the breast. For a 12–14 lb turkey expect roughly 2.5–3.25 hours total cooking time after the initial high-heat period, but rely on thermometer readings.

Rest the turkey

When the turkey reaches the proper internal temperatures, remove it from the oven and transfer the bird to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and rest for 20–30 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, pour the pan juices through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup or fat separator and reserve for gravy or serving.

Make gravy

After straining, skim off excess fat from the pan drippings if desired, reserving about 2 tablespoons of fat. Return 2 tablespoons of fat to the roasting pan or a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook 1–2 minutes to form a roux. Slowly whisk in 1 cup pan drippings plus additional stock or water as needed to reach desired consistency (about 1 cup more). Simmer and whisk until thickened, 3–5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If gravy is too thin, simmer to reduce; if too thick, add more stock.