It's Turkey Time

For the past two years I’ve made the same turkey recipe, which is unlike me because I’m usually experimenting with recipes on a daily basis. I’m constantly altering, manipulating and adjusting ingredients to create flavors outside the margins typed up in one of the many cookbooks that I own. But this recipe is so good. The key is in the brining so you have to think about this a day ahead.


A very good friend of mine just got a notice from our local farmer that her free-range pastoral raised turkey was ready for the feast. And investing in local organic meat is a great way to add health and wellness to your table and support the sustainable future of food. For more information on buying local pastoral meat near you go to eatwild.com.

As for this turkey recipe? Here it is, and I usually go with a couple of sides like roasted veggies, squash, minted peas, smashed root vegetables, stuffing, or brussel sprouts.

Enjoy and happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Roast Turkey























1 (14 to 16 pound) turkey

For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
olive oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled or stick it out on the back deck to cool. I usually don't have room in my fridge.

Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement or again, outside) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.

A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.

Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with olive oil. I also wrap the bones of the leg in tin foil because they have a tendency to dry out with cooking.

Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.