Brined Herb-Crusted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy

Name: Brined Herb-Crusted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy
Prep time: 2 d 5 h
Cook time: 2 d 5 h
Total time: 2 d 5 h
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 946 milliliters apple cider; 472 milliliters apple cider, divided; 5 bay leaves; 6 bay leaves; 3 sticks butter, room temperature; 2 smalls large or carrots, diced; 2 smalls large or carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice; 2 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice; 3 ribs celery, diced; 946 milliliters chicken stock, divided; 1 cinnamon stick; 63 grams all-purpose flour; 1 bunches fresh rosemary; 1 bunch fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped; 1 bunches fresh sage; 1 bunch fresh sage, leaves finely chopped; 1 head garlic, cut in 1/2 equatorially; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 2 Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2-inch dice; 67 grams granulated sugar; 219 grams kosher salt; 10 servings Kosher salt; 1 large onion, diced; 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice; 1 bunch thyme; 4 kgs turkey, free range organic is great; 7 liters water

Brined Herb-Crusted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy takes about 53 hours from beginning to end. This recipe serves 10. This main course has 988 calories, 88g of protein, and 51g of fat per serving. Head to the store and pick up thyme, celery, bay leaves, and a few other things to make it today. If you like this recipe, take a look at these similar recipes: Brined Herb-Crusted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy, Herb-Roasted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy, and Spice-Brined Turkey with Cider Pan Gravy.

Instructions

Watch how to make this recipe.

Special equipment: butcher's twine

Equipment you will use

Kitchen Twine

Combine all of the ingredients for the brine in a large container.

Ingredients you will need

Brine

Add the turkey and let it brine in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Turkey

Brine

Remove the turkey from the brine the night before roasting and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Turkey

Brine

Equipment you will use

Paper Towels

Combine the rosemary, sage, and butter for the herb crust in a small bowl. Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Work the butter under the skin of the turkey and massage it into the breasts and the legs. Massage the butter on the outside of the skin as well. Tie the legs together over the breast so they will protect it during cooking and help keep it moist and juicy.

Ingredients you will need

Kosher Salt

Rosemary

Butter

Whole Turkey

Crust

Sage

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Put the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, apples, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and thyme in a roasting pan and season with salt. Arrange the turkey on top of the veggies and refrigerate overnight UNCOVERED! Yes, that's right, uncovered. This will help the skin dry out and become really brown and crispy. Make sure that there is no raw food near the turkey in the refrigerator. After refrigerating overnight, the turkey is ready to go in the oven.

Ingredients you will need

Cinnamon Stick

Bay Leaves

Carrot

Apple

Celery

Garlic

Onion

Whole Turkey

Thyme

Salt

Equipment you will use

Roasting Pan

Oven

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Put 2 cups chicken stock and 1 cup apple cider in the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until the skin gets really nice and brown, about 40 minutes. Lower the oven heat to 350 degrees F for the remainder of the cooking time. Baste the turkey every 30 minutes or so and add more stock to the roasting pan, if needed. Cook about 17 minutes per pound. Once it gets to the proper color, tent the turkey with aluminum foil to prevent it from getting too dark.

Ingredients you will need

Stock

Apple Cider

Whole Turkey

Equipment you will use

Aluminum Foil

Roasting Pan

Oven

Remove the turkey from the oven when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the turkey registers 160 degrees F. Make sure that the thermometer is not touching a bone when doing the reading. When the turkey has reached the proper temperature, remove it from the roasting pan to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Turkey

Bone

Equipment you will use

Aluminum Foil

Cutting Board

Roasting Pan

Kitchen Thermometer

Oven

Strain all the veggies over a bowl to separate them from the stock/mixture. Discard the veggies. Skim off the fat and add it to the roasting pan. This is the fat for the roux.

Ingredients you will need

Stock

Equipment you will use

Roasting Pan

Bowl

Put the roasting pan over 2 burners and over a low heat and whisk in the flour. Cook until the mixture looks like wet sand, about 4 to 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the remaining 1 cup apple cider, remaining chicken stock and the stock/cider mixture. Cook until the mixture has thickened and reached a gravy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Ingredients you will need

Stock

Apple Cider

Seasoning