Juicy and aromatic roasted turkey
The turkey bathed in brine is wonderfully tender and juicy, with perfectly roasted skin and a delicate aroma of spices and citrus.
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.
