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Brined Thanksgiving Turkey
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Brined Roast Turkey

How to make the juiciest roast turkey you have ever tasted!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Brining time1 day
Total Time1 day 3 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 turkey

Ingredients

  • 10 L Water 2 1/2 gallons
  • 450 g Large crystal Salt 2 cups
  • 220 g Sugar 1 cup
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 1 head Garlic
  • 4 Allspice berries crushed
  • 5 Tbsp Dried Thyme
  • 5 Juniper Berries crushed
  • 1 Turkey
  • 5 - 6 Tbsp softened Butter
  • Turkey stock instructions below

Instructions

To Make The Turkey Stock:

  • Cover 2 turkey legs, one peeled and halved onion and four peeled carrots with water, and simmer for 2 hours. Top up the water if it gets too low. This broth can be made in advance and frozen until the day it's needed.

12 - 24 Hours Before Roasting:

  • Get a large container that can hold the turkey. Line it with a clean large trash bag.
  • Peel the garlic cloves.
  • Place all the ingredients from the water to the bay leaves in the bag and mix.
  • Carefully put the turkey into the water mixture and tie off the top of the bag.
  • Leave in the fridge, or somewhere where the temperature is between 0 - 5°C  (30 - 41 °F) for 12 to 24 hours.

To Roast The Turkey:

  • Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
  • Take the turkey out of the brine, rinse it under running water, then pat it dry with paper towels.
  • Smear butter all over the turkey.
  • Place the turkey in a large roasting pan, legs facing upwards. Cover the breast with aluminium foil.
  • After 45 minutes, take the foil off the breast part. Ladle 2/3 cup of turkey stock over the turkey, then continue to roast it.
  • Repeat the basting with the juices from the pan every 15 -20 minutes until the turkey is cooked. The time it takes will depend on the size of the turkey (see note below).  Use an oven-proof meat thermometer stuck into the thigh to check the progress of the cooking. (Don't let it touch the bone). When the turkey is ready, the internal temperature should be at 75°C (165°F).
  • At this point, take the turkey out of the oven and place it on a large serving plate. Leave it to sit for 20 minutes before carving it.

Notes

The turkey cooking time can vary greatly depending on the size of the bird. As a rough guide, calculate 20 minutes per pound ( about 40 minutes per kg) to get the total time needed.