To roast a juicy, succulent turkey, without using any butter or oil, soak your turkey in a brine bath overnight, you will never want to cook a turkey another way.
Roasting a turkey can seem intimidating if you are doing it for the first time, but I can assure you, it is easier than you think! All you need is a little planning, room in your refrigerator, a probe thermometer, a turkey baster, a roasting pan (disposable one is fine) and you really can’t mess up.
You can purchase a brining blend or you can easily make the brine solution yourself. This was simply a combination of coarse sea salt, cane sugar, lemon peel, orange peel, rosemary, pink, red and green peppercorns, thyme, sage and bay leaves. You can use a gallon of apple cider or vegetable stock in place of some of the water, the ingredients are pretty flexible. I’ve seen some brine combinations with cinnamon sticks, star anise, chopped apple, candied ginger, etc.
Thanksgiving Planning Checklist
Decide how many people will be eating, plan your menu, and gather your Thanksgiving recipes.
Make room in the fridge
Start using up the foods that are taking up space in your refrigerator and freezer to make sure you have plenty of room for your turkey, roast and other dishes you will serve.
Go Shopping
Check your pantry to see what you already have and make a shopping list of the ingredient you will need. Purchasing all your pantry items early will reduce stress later when the stores are crowded.
Don’t forget the thermometers
If you don’t already have one, add a thermometer to your shopping list. A cooked whole turkey is safe at a minimum internal temperature of 165 F throughout the bird.
Brine The Turkey
24 hours before you plan to cook your turkey, brine your turkey.
Buy Brining Bags
To minimize cleanup, line a 5-gallon container with a large brining or oven-roasting bag. Transfer the turkey to the bag, add brining mixture, remaining water, and the other ingredients. Refrigerate for 24 hours, flipping turkey once.
Remove and Dry
Don’t roast a cold turkey. Take your bird out of the refrigerator (and out of the brine, if you’re brining) an hour before you put it in the oven to ensure even cooking and a moist bird.
What size bird should I buy?
Estimate roughly one pound of turkey for each person for ample portions and leftovers.
When should I buy a fresh turkey?
You don’t want to buy a fresh turkey too early or it will spoil. The Tuesday before Thanksgiving is perfect. Some grocery stores let you call ahead to reserve your turkey.
How long does it take to thaw a frozen turkey?
The safest way to thaw your turkey is in the refrigerator. A twenty pound turkey will take about 4 days to thaw. After it has thawed, it is safe for another two days.
