The Perfect Roast Turkey
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 243kcal
This Perfect Roast Turkey recipe is fool-proof. The key here is brining and then air chilling. An instant-read thermometer ensures juicy and tender meat. Just get started a couple of days before you want to serve...and you'll be golden...just like this turkey. Your guests will flip.
Print Recipe
Equipment
- Brine bag, roasting pan with rack
Ingredients
FOR THE BRINE
- 1 gallon apple cider divided
- 1½ cups Kosher salt
- ¼ cup allspice ground
- 8 bay leaves fresh
- 1 gallon water
FOR THE TURKEY
- 1 14 lb turkey fresh, or if frozen, see NOTES
- ¼ cup canola oil or unsalted butter
- 1 large onion cut into wedges
- 1 large lemon quartered
- 3 sprigs thyme fresh
- 3 sprigs rosemary fresh
- 3 sprigs sage fresh, or 12 leaves
- 2 cups chicken broth
- turkey gravy on the side
Instructions
Brining and Air Chilling the Turkey
- In a large stock pan, simmer 4 cups of the apple cider, Kosher salt, allspice, and bay leaves. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Add the remaining 3 quarts of cider and another gallon (4 quarts) of water. Stir making sure salt and allspice have mostly dissolved.
- Place a brining bag into a large roasting pan or an ice cooler. Place the turkey in it. Carefully pour the cooled brine into the bag. Seal the bag and then refrigerate for 8 to 18 hours.
- Place the turkey in the brining bag into your sink. Carefully remove the turkey from the brine and let it drain in the sink for a few minutes, holding it up so the excess liquid will fall from the cavity. Place on a baking sheet with a rack. Use paper towels to pat dry the turkey all over. Place back in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.
- Either place in the fridge or cover the brine bag in the cooler with ice...and let rest for 24 hours.
Roast the Turkey
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Tie the turkey legs together with kitchen twine. Rub canola oil (or butter) all over the turkey, about ¼ cup.
- Lightly salt and pepper the skin (not too much salt...it's already soaked in some salt from the brine). Stuff the cavity with onions, lemons, and fresh herbs. Place on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan, breast side up.
- Add the chicken stock to the pan (use the drippings for gravy, later).
- Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- After the 30 minutes, place a piece of aluminum foil that has been folded into a large triangle over the breast. Cover any other areas that are turning a dark brown. Insert the instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.
- Roast until the internal temp reaches 162°F...about 2¼ hours for a 13 to 15 lb. bird.
- Remove from oven, cover with a large piece of foil, and let rest for at least 15 minutes. The turkey will stay warm for at least an hour. Place on a platter, carve, and serve with turkey gravy!
Video
Notes
Air chilling isn't 100% necessary, but we find it truly does make a difference in the end. If you don't have the time, just skip this step. You'll still have a very tasty turkey.
Resist opening the oven up while the turkey is roasting. However, you will want to keep an eye on the bird. If any parts of the skin are turning too dark, simply (but carefully) cover the spot with a piece of foil. Brushing a little oil on the underside of the foil will help it adhere to the turkey.
We don't add stuffing to our turkey because there is some risk for bacteria. If you do add stuffing, you'll need to cook the turkey for an additional 30 minutes. See below for cooking times based on the weight of the turkey.
We love using a fresh turkey that we purchase from our local butcher several days before serving. However, a good-quality frozen turkey will still yield an extremely delicious bird. Follow these tips for thawing:
Refrigerator (Easiest and Safest): This method takes some time, so allow one day for each 4 - 5 pounds of weight. If your turkey weighs 16 pounds, it will take about four days to thaw. Once thawed, the turkey is safe for another two days, so you can start thawing it six days before thanksgiving (the Friday before Thanksgiving).
Cold Water: For the cold water method, leave the turkey in its original wrapping and submerge it in a sink (or container) full of cold water. It is important that the water be cold so that the turkey stays at a safe temperature. You should change the water every 30 minutes. Empty out the water and replace it with fresh cold water. With this method, allow 30 minutes of defrosting time per pound, so a 16-pound turkey will take 8 hours to thaw using this method (so you might need to start around 4 a.m. if you want to eat in the afternoon!). Once the turkey has thawed, cook it immediately
Microwave (Only in a Pinch):
Before you commit to thawing your turkey in the microwave, check your owner’s manual for the size turkey that will fit in your microwave oven, the minutes per pound, and the power level to use when thawing a turkey. Remove all outside wrapping and place the turkey on a microwave-safe dish to catch any juices that may leak. Use the defrost function based on weight. As a general rule, allow 6 minutes per pound when thawing a turkey in the microwave. Be sure to rotate it several times, and even flip it, during the thawing process.
If the turkey starts to actually cook instead of just defrost, let it rest for 5 minutes or so before you resume thawing. Partway through thawing, you may wish to cover the tips of the wings and drumsticks with a small piece of foil to shield them from the microwaves and keep them from cooking. Once the turkey has thawed you should cook it immediately.
Cook Times by Turkey Weight (Without Stuffing)
Turkey Weight Servings Total Roasting Time (450° then lowered to 350°)
12 to 18 lbs. 10 or less 2 hours 45 minutes
18 to 22 lbs. 11 to 15 3 to 3 1/2 hour
22 - 24 lbs. 16 to 20 4 hours
We recommend going with smaller turkeys. The larger turkeys can be more of a challenge to cook evenly. If feeding a large crowd, we recommend roasting a couple of smaller turkeys, if that's possible.
Nutrition
Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 185mg | Potassium: 485mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 1mg