Roasted Turkey

Post and images by guest blogger, Rebecca White, of A Pleasant Little Kitchen. 

Visit her full blog or find out more about her here. 

Roasting a turkey for the first time is a BIG deal.

Let me restart. Cooking a turkey, whether it’s your first time or 50th time is a BIG deal. There’s many reasons for the enormity of this project.

First off, a turkey is a large piece of meat. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or not, cooking it to perfection is a tricky endeavor because of the size. The size affects thawing time, ease of handling (let’s face it, 16 pounds of anything can be a little cumbersome to pick up, twirl around, brine and stuff), cooking time and ease of carving. The turkey might be the one of the most intimidating items to prepare for the American cook.

Second, individuals are in the kitchen increasingly less these days. To automatically jump into the kitchen and whip up a deliciously cooked bird (and multiple side dishes) can be daunting simply for the fact that cooking is something people are not comfortable with. Thanksgiving requires A LOT of time in the kitchen and the turkey is often the center piece.

Third, the turkey (and this is my opinion) is probably one of the least eaten pieces of the Thanksgiving spread. While there is ritual involved in the turkey preparation, removal from the oven and carving of the golden turkey, this large bird can be unenjoyable to eat because it is overcooked, under seasoned, etc. etc….

This all goes back to my main point. The turkey, while a nostalgic symbol of American pride and history, is a BIG piece of meat to cook.

It can be tricky. Plus when you add in all the other delicious and irresistible side dishes, Thanksgiving can be overwhelming.

Today, with the many conveniences of prepared food it has become common for many families (mine included) to allow others to prepare the turkey for you while the side dishes and desserts are prepared at home. I have seen Market Street’s turkeys and they look spectacular and I will say it is very tempting to allow their skilled cooks to tackle this project.

Not this year though. This year is YOUR year to make the turkey and make it well.

Let me throw a curve ball. Let Market Street prepare the sides (because have you tried their praline sweet potatoes and green been casserole?) this year and let this recipe guide you to a beautifully and easily cooked turkey.

I mean, Thanksgiving is about American tradition and cooking a turkey is something more than likely a long line of your family members have done. Let this bird be an homage to family memories in the kitchen.

To bypass all the craziness that is grocery shopping around Thanksgiving, you can even let Market Street shop for you. All you need to do is pick it up at the store (OR have it dropped off on your doorstep).

The beauty of online shopping with Market Street is that your 15 pound organic turkey will be delivered to your door step along with all the brining ingredients (which I’ve detailed below).

Now, take a deep breath.

You’ve got this. Market Street’s got this. We’re all here to support you on your big turkey day. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving.

Roasted Turkey

Author note: The first roasted turkey recipe my husband and I ever cooked was Alton Brown’s. His method of roasting is complete and thorough. We have never roasted a turkey any other way. While the brine and stuffing recipe is A Pleasant Little Kitchen’s, the cooking method is 100% Alton Brown’s.

Ingredients

for the brine

2 gallons cold water

1 apple juice

1 1/3 cups kosher salt

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons peppercorns

1 tablespoon allspice berries

2 tarragon sprigs

4 thyme sprigs

4 rosemary sprigs

2 garlic cloves, halved

1 onion, halved

1 apples, quartered

2 inch fresh ginger pieces, peeled

1 12-18 pound turkey

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a large stock pan. Heat the brine until sugar and salt have dissolved, stir occasionally. Remove the brine from the heat and bring to room temperature.

2. Remove the turkey from the packaging. If there is anything inside the turkey cavity (neck, giblets, etc.) remove these items as well.

3. Place the turkey in a 32 quart plastic container. Pour the cooled brine over the turkey.

4. Place the turkey into the fridge and let brine for at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours.

Ingredients

for the turkey

1 garlic, halved

1 onion, halved

1 apple, quartered

1 tablespoon peppercorns

1 tablespoon allspice berries

2 tarragon branches

3 thyme sprigs

3 rosemary sprigs

canola oil

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 500F.

2. Remove the turkey from the brine. Rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels.

3. Place the turkey on a large rimmed baking sheet.

4. Sprinkle the peppercorns and allspice berries in the bottom of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the remaining aromatics. After stuffing the turkey, truss the wings and legs to form a compact shape. This will help with even cooking and makes for a better presentation.

5. Place the turkey on a roasting pan and lather the turkey with canola oil.

6. Roast the turkey at 500F for 30 minutes.

7. After 30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350.

8. Remove the turkey from the oven and insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast.

9. Return the turkey to the oven and cook until the internal temperature reaches 155F.

10. This will take 2 - 2 1/2 hours, depending on the exact weight of the turkey.

11. Peek at the turkey (without opening the oven) with about 30 minutes to go. If the breast skin is getting too dark, place a double piece of foil over it to shield it from the heat during the remainder of the cooking.

12. Remove the turkey from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes prior to carving.