Inquiring Minds Want to Know

The turkey was fantastic! It was the juiciest turkey I've ever had. When I removed the thermometer from measuring the breast, a stream of juice shot out of the hole about a foot in the air! Kinda gross-sounding, but it proves how moist it was.

I only had to flip the bird 3 times, and it only cooked for 2 hours. It was tricky to get it to stay thigh-side-up both times, but I leaned it against the side of the rack inside the pan. I learned that I absolutely hate my roasting pan though, since the handles are on hinges, and they lay completely flat against the pan so it's impossible to grab them with potholders. If the handles were easier to grab, this would have been a really low-stress recipe.

Another thing to note is the giblet gravy I made (also a recipe from the 1,000 Best Recipes cookbook). You're supposed to start it the night before, while the turkey is brining, but I forgot and did it all at once. It took all day to make! I started it as soon as I got up in the morning (which, admittedly was around 11), and finished it just as the turkey came out. I threw away the turkey's tale the night before, since it was hanging by some loose skin to the bird, but apparently that was supposed to go in the gravy. Whoops! I'll know for next time. The gravy was good anyway, though pretty thin until it was leftover.

Here's the recipe I used, so ya'll can brine your turkeys next time. You should really just buy the Best Recipes cookbooks though (at least some of them). :) Then you can have the gravy recipe too.

Classic Roast Turkey

2 cups table salt

1 turkey (12-14 lbs. - larger birds don't cook as evenly), rinsed thoroughly; giblets, neck and tailpiece removed and reserved for gravy

3 medium onions, chopped coarse

1 1/2 medium carrots, chopped coarse

1 1/2 celery ribs, chopped coarse

6 sprigs fresh thyme

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1. Dissolve the salt in 2 gallons cold water in a large stockpot or clean bucket. [I used a 7 gallon stock pot and needed more water and salt to cover the turkey. Adjust accordingly, and make sure in advance that you have a large enough pot.] Add the turkey and refrigerate for 4 hours.

2. Remove turkey, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Put on a flat rack over a rimmed baking sheet, uncovered, in the fridge for at least 8 hours to air-dry.

3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat to 400 degrees. Toss 1/3 of the veggies and thyme with 1 Tbsp of the melted butter and place inside the body cavity. Bring the legs together and perform a simple truss (wrapping twine around the legs to close them, and bringing it around to the front, under the wings, and tying over the flap of skin covering the neck hole).

4. Scatter the remaining veggies and thyme over a shallow roasting pan. Pour 1 Cup water over the veggies. Set V-rack in the pan. Brush the entire breast side of the turkey with half the remaining butter, then place in breast-side down on the V-rack. Brush the entire back-side with the remaining butter.

5. Roast for 45 minutes. Remove pan from the oven (close the oven door); baste; with a wad of paper towels in each hand, turn the turkey leg/thigh side up (not wing up). If the liquid in the pan has totally evaporated, add another 1/2 cup water. Return to the oven and roast 15 minutes. Remove again, baste, and rotate the other thigh side up. Roast for another 15 minutes. Remove one last time, baste, and turn it breast side up; roast until the breast registers about 165 and the thigh registers 170 to 175 on an instant-read thermometer, 30-45 minutes. Remove turkey from the pan to a carving board and let rest until ready to carve, at least 20 minutes.