Roasting a whole turkey may seem like a somewhat intimidating endeavor. How can we do it so that after all the fuss of preparing and baking, we end up with a juicy turkey and not a dried out shred?
Fortunately, there is a method by which the turkey becomes "resistant" even to the treatments of less skilled cooks.
The secret is very simple - before baking let the turkey rest in the aromatic brineand bring the meat to room temperature before baking. Preparing the brine takes a moment, and after putting the turkey in a cool place, you don't have to worry about it for some time. The meat is filled with the aroma of spicy marinade and citrus, it is tender and delicate. An additional benefit is that such preliminary preparation allows for shorter baking time!
Below is the starting recipe, but you can modify it, for example by adding or omitting some of the marinade ingredients. Remember, however, that the basic elements (sour liquid, salt, sugar, pepper and spices) should always be included. If you are looking for inspiration about herbs and spices, check out this post: Get to know your herbs and spices: flavourful cooking - beginners' guide
I have prepared turkeys and chickens (it works too!) using the marinade method many times. I've tried versions with various spices, honey, apple juice, and even with the addition of cola (and less sugar) or pineapple juice, and it always turns out great.
I first saw the idea of letting a juicy turkey rest in a marinade in Nigella's wonderful book "Nigella Christmas".
I highly recommend a juicy and aromatic turkey, not only for special occasions!
Action plan:
Day before
- Clean the turkey and place it in the brine
Baking day
- (about 2 hours earlier) Remove the meat from the marinade, dry it and leave the meat to warm up to room temperature
- Baking: approximate baking time, depending on the size of the turkey: turkey weighing approx. 2.5 kg - approx. 1.5 h / 4.5 kg - approx. 2 h
- Rest under foil, about 30 minutes
Juicy and aromatic roasted turkey
Ingredients
- 1 turkey ca 2,5 kg
Brine
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 oranges
- 2 tangerines
- 1 lemon
- 2 medium size red onions
- 2 pieces of cinnamon
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tsp red pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 5-6 cloves
- 2 star anise
- 4 l water
- orange juice / apple juice optional
Glaze
- ⅓ (60-70g) butter
- 2-3 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
Instructions
Preparations and soaking in brine
- Clean the turkey and rinse.
- Add all dry ingredients for the brine to a pot or container large enough to comfortably accommodate the turkey and the brine.
- Place the turkey in the pot and cover it all with water. There should be enough liquid to completely cover the turkey. If you don't have such a large pot, or your turkey is exceptionally large and sticks out above the surface of the brine, there is a way to do it. Place the turkey breast side down (this is the thickest part and needs to be marinated thoroughly) and remember to turn it over in the liquid about 3/4 of the way through the soaking time.
- Put the pot in a cool place overnight or for a day.
Before baking
- Remove the turkey from the brine, dry and bring to room temperature. This is an important step because it will allow the meat to bake evenly and faster. Please note that it may take about 1-2 hours for the turkey to warm up, so plan your cooking time accordingly.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 200C top-bottom (or to 180C with fan)
- Heat the glaze ingredients together until dissolved.
- Place the turkey in a large roasting pan and brush thoroughly with the glaze.
- Place in the oven and bake for 1.5 hours. To prevent the turkey from browning too quickly, you can loosely cover it with aluminum foil for the first 30-40 minutes. Every 30-40 minutes, pour the sauce over the meat, which will collect at the bottom of the roasting pan.
- After 1.5 hours, check whether the turkey is cooked (instructions below).
How to check if the turkey is cooked:
- The turkey should be pierced in the place where the thigh connects to the body - if the juice flowing out is clear, the turkey is ready. If the juice is still pink, roast the turkey for another 15-20 minutes and check again.
- If you have a cooking thermometer with a skewer, insert it into the breast, away from the bone. If the temperature is at least 75 degrees C, the turkey is ready.
Resting
- Remove the turkey from the oven, wrap it loosely in aluminum foil and let it rest for about half an hour. Thanks to this, the turkey will cook gently, the juices circulating in it will calm down and the meat will remain juicy after cutting.
