Sam Hayward’s Roast Brined Turkey
By Yankee Magazine|Jul 22 2016|
Following these roast brined turkey instructions will yield a moist, succulent bird. You can brine a 14-pound turkey overnight in the refrigerator in a large lobster pot. Or, if you’re cooking a very large bird, you can brine it outside in a large, clean picnic cooler filled with the brine and a few bags of ice to keep the temperature cold. You’ll need to double the brine recipe in this case. Secure the lid with heavy weights or a bungee cord; then let the cooler sit outside overnight. The high concentration of salt and sugar in the solution will keep it from freezing.
Total Time:
3-1/2-4-1/2 hours, depending on size of bird, plus 12 hours brining; hands-on time: 40 minutes minutesIngredients
2-1/4 cups kosher or sea salt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked with the bottom of a skillet
2-3 sprigs each fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage
2-1/2 gallons cold water
Instructions
The evening before you roast the turkey, mix the first eight ingredients with the water in your container, stirring until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved. Place the whole turkey in the brine, breast side down, and move it around a bit to expel air from the cavity. Place the container in the refrigerator (or outside, if it’s cold, remembering to add ice and secure the lid); then let the turkey rest in the brine 12 hours.
Notes:
A note from Sam: “The government suggests much higher cooking temperatures, as high as 165°, to kill food-borne disease organisms, usually resulting in a cooked texture somewhere between beef jerky and compressed sawdust. A conscientious local poultry farmer, careful handling procedures, a clean kitchen, and brining all help to reduce the risk of food-borne disease in poultry, rendering such appalling overcooking unnecessary.”
For the roast:
Ingredients:
1 12- to 15-pound turkey, preferably fresh
Extra-virgin olive oil
