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Perfectly Roasted Turkey

Did you sign up to make the Holiday Turkey? Feeling a little scared, overwhelmed about to call in sick? NO WORRIES! Acme Salt will walk you through the process, and we both hope you will be the star of the dinner!

DIFFICULTY

Medium

TIME

12 – 24 hours brine,
3+ hours

BUDGET

The Ingredients

Serves: 6 to 8

12 pound raw turkey
Acme Turkey Brine recipe
1 ½ sticks butter, very soft
2 tsp rubbed sage

Tips

KEEP IN MIND

You can use these more as guidelines for a larger turkey. If the turkey is 16 to 20 pounds double this recipe and the brine. Also, if the turkey is larger, the roasting time will also be longer, but the temperature when done will be the same (165 degrees).
You can also adjust this recipe down, say you are only roasting turkey breasts, decrease the recipe accordingly. As well as cooking time.
Brining your turkey infuses the meat with flavor and moisture. It helps all poultry shine, it is worth the time and effort for the compliments you will receive throughout the meal and maybe the whole year!
Remember you will have wonderful juices at the bottom of the baking dish, perfect to make gravy!

The Method

Step 1

Be sure your turkey is completely defrosted. Defrosting your turkey is safest done in your refrigerator. A frozen 12 pound turkey will take 36 to 48 hours to defrost in a refrigerator.

Step 2

Get your brine and bucket or bag ready.

Step 3
Clean out any additional turkey items that may be in the cavity of the bird. If you know what to do with them please feel free to use them, but if you do not, no need to stress over them, just dispose of them.

Step 4
Follow the Brine instructions and video.

Step 5
After 12 to 24 hours of brining, it is time to remove the turkey from the brine and give the turkey a good rinse. You can do this in a clean kitchen sink. Rinse the bird inside and out. No scrubbing, just a cold shower. Then, dry the turkey. You can use an old bath towel or lots of paper towels.

Step 6
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Step 7
Now that the turkey is full of flavor and dry it is time to prepare the baking dish. In a large dice (1 ½ inch pieces) cut up the onion, carrots and ½ of a head of celery. Scatter these vegetables in the bottom of the baking dish. If you have a rack, place that over the vegetables and then the turkey on the rack (or if no rack, straight onto the vegetables).

Step 8
Mix the 1 ½ sticks of very soft butter with the 2 teaspoons of rubbed sage, and then spread over all of the turkey, being sure to get the not as exposed parts and the cavity.

Step 9
Place the turkey in the baking dish into a preheated oven. Set a timer for 1 hour.

Step 10
After 1 hour, check the turkey. It should start to be browning up, and possibly about 125 degrees or so. Baste the turkey with more butter.

Step 11
At this point you should cover the turkey with foil, being sure to cover the turkey but not the pan. Put the turkey back in the oven. Set a time for 30 minutes.

Step 12
Test the turkey for a temperature of 165. When checking for the temperature you want to choose a thick area of meat (ie: the breast), low on the bird, but also, not touching any bone. If the turkey is not to temperature, put it back in the oven and check every 15 minutes.

Step 13
Now that the turkey is finished cooking, allow it to rest on the counter or stove top for 20 minutes.

Step 14
Place the rested turkey on a platter and serve. Or you can pre cut the meat off the turkey and sliced, then on a platter. Enjoy!