Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey

Name: Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
Prep time: 1 d 1 h 10 min
Cook time: 1 d 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 d 1 h 10 min
Yield: 18
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 473 milliliters apple juice; 5 bay leaves; 4 Tbsps black peppercorns; 473 milliliters brown sugar; 2 sticks softened butter; 2 Tbsps dried rosemary; 3 Tbsps minced fresh rosemary leaves; 5 cloves garlic, crushed; 355 milliliters kosher salt; 3 Tbsps chopped orange zest; 3 oranges, peeled, white pith removed, skin roughly chopped; 9 kilograms fresh turkey; 2 gallons water

Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey might be just the hor d'oeuvre you are searching for. Watching your figure? This gluten free recipe has 700 calories, 78g of protein, and 28g of fat per serving. This recipe serves 18. This recipe covers 35% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. Thanksgiving will be even more special with this recipe. If you have kosher salt, bay leaves, brown sugar, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes about 25 hours and 10 minutes.

Instructions

Watch how to make this recipe.

Combine the water, apple juice, salt, sugar, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, dried rosemary, and orange peel in a large pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat immediately, cover, and allow mixture to come to room temperature. Cool mixture in the fridge until you're ready.

Ingredients you will need

Dried Rosemary

Apple Juice

Orange Zest

Peppercorns

Bay Leaves

Garlic

Sugar

Water

Salt

Equipment you will use

Pot

To brine the turkey, remove the turkey from wrapper, remove interior bags (set aside; refrigerate), and rinse turkey thoroughly under cool water.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Turkey

Brine

Water

Place the turkey into a plastic brining bag or a very large pot.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Turkey

Equipment you will use

Pot

Pour the cooled brine mixture over the top, adding extra cold water if you need more to completely cover the turkey. Seal the bag or cover the pot and allow the turkey to brine in the refrigerator for 16 to 24 hours before roasting.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Turkey

Brine

Water

Equipment you will use

Pot

Before roasting, remove the turkey from brine and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Then soak in a sink full of fresh water for 15 to 20 minutes. Pat dry. Discard brine. (This soaking process will decrease the likelihood of too-salty gravy).

Ingredients you will need

Whole Turkey

Brine

Gravy

Water

Preheat the oven 275 degrees F.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Truss the bird and place it breast side up on a rack in a large roasting pan. Cover the turkey tightly with heavy-duty foil. Make sure it's entirely covered (cover over the bottom edges of the pan).

Ingredients you will need

Whole Turkey

Equipment you will use

Roasting Pan

Aluminum Foil

Place in the oven and roast for about 10 minutes per pound (a 20 pound turkey will roast for about 3 1/2 hours).

Ingredients you will need

Whole Turkey

Equipment you will use

Oven

Remove the turkey from the oven and increase the temperature to 375 degrees F.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Turkey

Equipment you will use

Oven

Remove the aluminum foil and set aside.

Equipment you will use

Aluminum Foil

Mix the softened butter with the rosemary and orange zest and rub all over the skin of the turkey, covering every single inch of the skin. Insert a meat thermometer into the thigh, near the hip joint.

Ingredients you will need

Orange Zest

Rosemary

Butter

Whole Turkey

Meat

Dry Seasoning Rub

Equipment you will use

Kitchen Thermometer

Place the turkey, uncovered, back into the oven. Continue roasting the turkey, basting with butter every 30 minutes, until the thermometer registers 170 degrees F and until the juices are no longer pink.

Ingredients you will need

Butter

Whole Turkey

Equipment you will use

Kitchen Thermometer

Oven

Remove from the oven and cover with foil until you are ready to carve and serve. Reserve pan juices to make gravy.

Ingredients you will need

Gravy

Equipment you will use

Aluminum Foil

Oven