Written by Kate Tietje
Turkey is the most commonly bought meat by Americans in November, selling over 40 million birds annually for Thanksgiving feasts nationwide. Now, let’s set the mood.
Imagine sitting in front of the television, obsessing over how early in the day you get to play video games. You are laughing with your siblings, having the time of your life. Not a care in the world as the aroma of your favorite foods surrounds you. You smell the macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, and mashed potatoes. It’s just a matter of time before you start smelling that delicious, brined, slow-roasted turkey mom makes every year.
Okay, maybe that’s not how it goes down for moms around the country, but that’s how it goes for my children. At least until I call them to help set the table for our 10-person feast that my parents always attend. Whether I make this for Thanksgiving or Christmas, this recipe is always a hit at my home, and I’m sure it would be a hit at yours, too!
Brined, Slow-Roasted Turkey
Ingredients:
- 1 15 – 20 lb. turkey
- 1 – 2 gallons of filtered water (can sub some homemade chicken stock/broth)
- 1 cup sea salt
- 1/3 cup sucanat
- 2 – 3 bay leaves
- 2 tsp. sage leaves
- 1 tsp. marjoram leaves
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp. black peppercorns (or 2 tsp. ground pepper)
- Butter
- Sea salt
Directions:
Step 1: Use 1 – 2 quarts of water or stock and bring it to a boil. I had no stock on hand, so I went with water. It was plenty flavorful.
Step 2: Add your sea salt and sucanat.
Step 3: Stir to combine thoroughly.
Step 4: Add your spices (through black pepper).
Step 5: Pour your brine into a big pot.
Step 6: Add your turkey to the pot. I put my breasts down so the normally drier white meat would be thoroughly brined.
Step 7: Add extra water to your pot until it is nearly full. Ideally, the turkey will be completely submerged…or at least mostly, as in my case.
Step 8: If yours is completely submerged, add a lot of ice and let it sit out overnight (about 12 hours). The salt and the cold water will keep the turkey fresh and bacteria at bay. I put mine in the fridge instead for about 2 days.
Step 9: Remove your turkey from the pot after sitting in the brine for at least 12 hours.
Step 10: Rinse your turkey off (I did this in the sink). All the spices should be gone because they will burn if you roast them with the spices on top. However, the flavor from the spices is now in the meat.
Step 11: Let your turkey sit in the sink for 1 – 2 hours (or on a rack nearby, with towels underneath) to drain. It needs to be fairly dry.
Step 12: Stuff your turkey if you are planning to. I did. Then, put it in a big roasting pan or a stand-alone roaster. I used my roaster to keep my oven free for other baking. Dot it with butter and sprinkle with sea salt.
Step 13: Turn the oven or roaster to 200ºF and let your turkey go for 15 – 18 hours. You will want to start this the night before you plan to eat. Let it cook, and resist checking it too often. I got impatient towards the end and turned mine up to 350ºF in the last hour of roasting so it would be done faster and brown a bit more.
Step 14: Carve the bird and save the drippings. I got nearly 8 cups from my 20-lb. turkey, and I made all of it into gravy for future meals. The gravy is so delicious.
Then serve! And enjoy. 🙂 Several people mentioned how good the turkey was multiple times. And it was. Even the leftovers were awesome and not the slightest bit dry.
Brined, Slow-Roasted Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 15 - 20 lb. turkey
- 1 - 2 gallons of filtered water can sub some homemade chicken stock/broth
- 1 cup sea salt
- 1/3 cup sucanat
- 2 - 3 bay leaves
- 2 tsp. sage leaves
- 1 tsp. marjoram leaves
- 1 small onion roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp. black peppercorns or 2 tsp. ground pepper
- Butter
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Use 1 - 2 quarts of water or stock and bring it to a boil. I had no stock on hand, so I went with water. It was plenty flavorful.
- Add your sea salt and sucanat.
- Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Add your spices (through black pepper).
- Pour your brine into a big pot.
- Add your turkey to the pot. I put my breasts down so the normally drier white meat would be thoroughly brined.
- Add extra water to your pot until it is nearly full. Ideally, the turkey will be completely submerged...or at least mostly, as in my case.
- If yours is completely submerged, add a lot of ice and let it sit out overnight (about 12 hours). The salt and the cold water will keep the turkey fresh and bacteria at bay. I put mine in the fridge instead for about 2 days.
- Remove your turkey from the pot after sitting in the brine for at least 12 hours.
- Rinse your turkey off (I did this in the sink). All the spices should be gone because they will burn if you roast them with the spices on top. However, the flavor from the spices is now in the meat.
- Let your turkey sit in the sink for 1 - 2 hours (or on a rack nearby, with towels underneath) to drain. It needs to be fairly dry.
- Stuff your turkey if you are planning to. I did. Then, put it in a big roasting pan or a stand-alone roaster. I used my roaster to keep my oven free for other baking. Dot it with butter and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Turn the oven or roaster to 200ºF and let your turkey go for 15 - 18 hours. You will want to start this the night before you plan to eat. Let it cook, and resist checking it too often. I got impatient towards the end and turned mine up to 350ºF in the last hour of roasting so it would be done faster and brown a bit more.
- Carve the bird and save the drippings. I got nearly 8 cups from my 20-lb. turkey, and I made all of it into gravy for future meals. The gravy is so delicious.
We put our turkey in a clean 5-gallon bucket with lots of ice and kept it in a car all night–worked beautifully! We were traveling and didn’t have an enclosed garage but that was my original plan. It stayed cold and safe all night–we were in a northern state with cold overnight temps. There was still ice in the morning and the salt kept me from worrying about any danger from bacteria.
Looks good! I’m planning on buying an on sale heritage farmed turkey that didn’t get picked up from my local health food store (hopefully they have as many this year as last!). I think I’ll brine and slow roast it as well. 🙂 One question/clarification: I’m assuming your roasting this covered? If I was roasting this in a covered roasting pan in my oven, about when would you recommend removing the cover for browning?
Mine is covered only because it’s in a separate roaster oven. I wouldn’t cover it if I made it in the “real” oven.
Two questions for you–1) was this a pastured turkey? If so, I’ll definitely be excited to try this recipe. The pastured birds I’ve fixed we’re too dry. 2) is there any concern over bacteria developing since it is cooking at such a low temperature for so long? How do you weigh the risk factor? Thanks!
Yes, a pastured turkey. 🙂 There’s some concern about bacteria but I don’t worry about it if it’s pastured and if it cooks until the internal temp is safe.
Another thing to make it amazing is to put a mixture of melted butter and herbs under the skin of the turkey. It’s REALLY awkward to shove your arm in between a turkey and its skin up to the elbow…but it will be amazing even above and beyond the brining. I’m a briner myself, so you’re preaching to the choir here!
This looks awesome! When you go to start the turkey in the brine, should it be frozen, thawed, or partially thawed?
Hi Kathryn,
It should be at least partially thawed, maybe completely. You’ll have to leave it longer if it’s only partially thawed.
[…] used this recipe from Kate for my turkey and it was great! Because I cooked mine in the oven, I think next time […]
I am using this recipe again this year!! We loved it last year! I am curious this time around, is there such a thing as too long in the brine? I bought my turkey early this year and am debating if I want to freeze it since I know it will take so long to thaw, but feel like a week in the brine would be overkill… What do you think?
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Omg 15-18 hours is a long time to cook!
How can I just the cooking time for a smaller turkey? Ours is about 10 1/2 pounds.