Hillary's Turkey

 My sister literally makes the perfect turkey. I used her recipes for this year and the gravy was "The best turkey gravy I've ever had." via my Mother in law! It was super flavorful but still not quite as tender as Hillary's. Would definitely make it this way again! I would also make the compound butter a few days ahead to have that ready day of if I have time.

Turkey Brine: I need to brine longer next time 

https://www.munchkintime.com/super-easy-turkey-brine-recipe/

• ▢ 1 gallon water 
• ▢ 3 cups apple juice
• ▢ 2-3 stems fresh rosemary 
• ▢ 5 stems fresh thyme & bay leaves
• ▢ 1 whole garlic sliced
• ▢ 1 cup Kosher salt or to taste
• ▢ 5 bay leaves
• ▢ 1 ½ cup brown sugar
• ▢ 3 tablespoon peppercorns
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Montreal Steak spice
• ▢ 1 gallon ice
• ▢ 2 onions sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Place all ingredients into a big pot except the onions. 
• Bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat. Add 1 gallon of ice and sliced onions. Let the turkey brine cool, then add turkey and soak for over night inside the fridge or if you live in cold place, place the pot in the garage. 
• After, remove turkey from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.
  Cooking the turkey:

  Ingredients

  • ▢ 1 (14-16) pound turkey, giblets and neck removed
  • ▢ 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh sage, plus more for stuffing the bird
  • ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, plus more for stuffing the bird
  • ▢ 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
  • ▢ zest of 1 lemon
  • ▢ 3 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
  • ▢ 1 piece large of double lined cheesecloth
  • ▢ 2 lemons, halved
  • ▢ 1 garlic head, tips sliced off
  • ▢ 1 onion, halved
  • ▢ 7-8 cups low sodium chicken or turkey broth
  • 
    

  https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/herb-and-butter-roasted-turkey-with-white-wine-pan-gravy/
  1. Remove the turkey from the fridge one hour before roasting. Remove the giblets + neck and allow to come to room temperature.

  2. Make the butter. In a medium bowl, combine the 1 stick butter, the sage, thyme, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper. 

  3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan.

  4. Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper and fill the cavity with the, lemons, garlic and onion. Gently lift the skin of the turkey by using your fingers and going in between the skin and body of the bird. Rub the herb butter under the skin of the bird, spreading some of the butter on top of the skin as well. Take the remaining 1 stick butter and melt it over the low heat on the stove or in the microwave. Dampen your cheesecloth with warm water and squeeze dry. Submerge the cheesecloth in the melted butter, making sure all the cheese cloth has soaked up the butter. Lay the cheesecloth over the bird, covering most of the bird. Drizzle any remaining butter over the turkey.

  5. Pour 4 cups of chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting plan. Place the roasting pan in the oven and roast for 45 minutes at 450 degrees F. After 45 minutes reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and continue cooking for another 2 hours (until the turkey registers 160 F. on a meat thermometer), adding 1-2 cup of broth half way through roasting. I like to baste the turkey with the drippings 2 times throughout cooking and when doing so rotate the roasting pan.

  6. Remove the turkey from the oven and remove the cheesecloth, transfer the turkey to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil and let rest 20-30 minutes before slicing.
  Gravy: I don't make the white wine one. I just mix butter with about 1/2 cup flour or make a corn starch slurry to add to the pan drippings that have the fat taken off. Add salt/ pepper as needed though the drippings were just about perfect on their own.