BRINED WHOLE TURKEY
When was the last time you truly enjoyed your holiday turkey? If it's been a while, we suggest you give your regular recipe a rest and try out this whole turkey instead. As you might have noticed (from its 100-plus, five-star ratings), it's been helping home cooks master succulent and tender-to-the-bone turkeys for decades now. And its success is nearly guaranteed-a bold promise, yes, but we'll stand behind it. The reason this recipe turns out time after time is because it uses the brining technique. Brining, in this case, wet brining, involves soaking the bird in a simple solution of salt and water for an extended period of time (8 to 12 hours) prior to roasting. The soak breaks down tough muscle tissue and infuses the meat with flavor. So when we say you don't have to suffer lackluster turkey again, it's not a false promise, all you have to do is make this fan-favorite recipe. Our guess is that you'll never go back to your old standard.
Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Entree
Time 12h30m
Yield 14
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Mix cold water and salt in a large clean bucket or stockpot (noncorrosive); stir until salt is dissolved. Add turkey. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.
- Heat oven to 325°F. Remove turkey from brine; discard brine. Thoroughly rinse turkey under cool running water, gently rubbing outside and inside of turkey to release salt. Pat skin and both interior cavities dry with paper towels.
- Fasten neck skin to back of turkey with skewer. Fold wings across back of turkey so tips are touching. Toss onion, carrot, celery and thyme with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter; place in turkey cavity.
- Place turkey, breast side down, on rack in large shallow roasting pan. Brush entire back side of turkey with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Turn turkey over. Brush entire breast side of turkey with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh and does not touch bone. (Do not add water or cover turkey.)
- Roast uncovered 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours, brushing twice with pan drippings during last 30 minutes of roasting.
- Turkey is done when thermometer reads 165°F and drumsticks move easily when lifted or twisted. If a meat thermometer is not used, begin testing for doneness after about 3 hours. When turkey is done, place on warm platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Let stand about 15 minutes for easiest carving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 325, Carbohydrate 0 g, Cholesterol 145 mg, Fiber 0 g, Protein 47 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 620 mg
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Nazer kuniyil
[email protected]5 stars!
Rachel Moody
[email protected]This recipe is a must-try for anyone who loves turkey!
Haroon Azher
[email protected]I'm not a big fan of turkey, but this recipe changed my mind!
Malik shahbaz Malik shahbaz
[email protected]This is the best turkey recipe I've ever tried!
Emanuel Rodgers
[email protected]I'm not sure what I did wrong, but my turkey was dry and overcooked.
Jonah Kuhn
[email protected]I followed the recipe exactly and the turkey turned out great! Thanks for sharing!
Althea Brady
[email protected]Meh.
jeremy trujillo
[email protected]This recipe was too complicated and the turkey was dry.
M4 ARSL
[email protected]It was okay. I've had better.
Kaveen Rashmika
[email protected]Not bad!
Elizabeth Yac
[email protected]The brine made the turkey so moist and flavorful. I'll definitely be using this recipe again next year.
Nurul aminzz
[email protected]I was looking for something different to do with my turkey this year and this recipe didn't disappoint! It was a hit with my family.
Moses martinez
[email protected]This recipe is a keeper! The turkey turned out perfectly and everyone loved it.
Ahmed Hazem
[email protected]I've been brining my turkey for years, but this was the best one yet! The brine really made a difference.
EPT
[email protected]Finally got to try this recipe and it was delicious! The turkey was so juicy and the skin was crispy.
Samuel Victory
[email protected]This turkey was amazing! The brine made the meat so moist and flavorful.