This works best on fresh, free range Birds.. The grocery store turkeys are almost always injected with a brine solution and are frozen. However, you can use it on a frozen, store bought bird (although i'd recommend a better bird)
For frozen, store bought: Just rinse the frozen turkey in cool water (to start the defrosting process), pat it dry and salt it. Then proceed just as you would with a fresh turkey. By the time it's defrosted, it'll be seasoned and ready to go.
Needed:
1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey (can use bigger, of course)
Kosher salt (Important to use good salt. Don't use crappy table salt)
1. Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons). ** Keep in mind that injected turkeys are weighed down from the solution (so they can charge you more)
2. Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted.
3. Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side.
** You can also mix in herbs , etc. with the salt or use herbs under the skin. Garlic and butter under the skin works well, along with the herbs.
4. Place the turkey in a 2 1/2 -gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day. After a day or so, you might see some liquid in the bag. Don't worry. Salt naturally pulls moisture from meat. Give the turkey a light massage through the bag to make sure the salt is distributed evenly and stick it back in the fridge.
5. Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.
6. On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. ** See alternate method
7. Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts).
8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2 3/4 hours total roasting. *** Taking the bird out @ 165 makes for an overdone bird, IMO. It continues to cook while it rests, resulting in the temp. being raised 5 or even 10 degrees. I usually take mine out @ 158-160. Also, you need to make sure the thigh is done as well, so take the temp there.
Alternate method that works just as well: Bake Breastside down for 30 minutes at 325 F; Turn Turkey Breastside up for an additional 1.5 hours at 325 F. Then increase oven to 425 F and roast until temperature in the deepest part of the thigh reaches 160 F (about an additional 20-30 minutes). ** It's best to go by internal temp, not time, so you may need to adjust a bit.
9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve. (It's important to let the bird rest)
For frozen, store bought: Just rinse the frozen turkey in cool water (to start the defrosting process), pat it dry and salt it. Then proceed just as you would with a fresh turkey. By the time it's defrosted, it'll be seasoned and ready to go.
Needed:
1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey (can use bigger, of course)
Kosher salt (Important to use good salt. Don't use crappy table salt)
1. Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons). ** Keep in mind that injected turkeys are weighed down from the solution (so they can charge you more)
2. Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted.
3. Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side.
** You can also mix in herbs , etc. with the salt or use herbs under the skin. Garlic and butter under the skin works well, along with the herbs.
4. Place the turkey in a 2 1/2 -gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day. After a day or so, you might see some liquid in the bag. Don't worry. Salt naturally pulls moisture from meat. Give the turkey a light massage through the bag to make sure the salt is distributed evenly and stick it back in the fridge.
5. Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.
6. On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. ** See alternate method
7. Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts).
8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2 3/4 hours total roasting. *** Taking the bird out @ 165 makes for an overdone bird, IMO. It continues to cook while it rests, resulting in the temp. being raised 5 or even 10 degrees. I usually take mine out @ 158-160. Also, you need to make sure the thigh is done as well, so take the temp there.
Alternate method that works just as well: Bake Breastside down for 30 minutes at 325 F; Turn Turkey Breastside up for an additional 1.5 hours at 325 F. Then increase oven to 425 F and roast until temperature in the deepest part of the thigh reaches 160 F (about an additional 20-30 minutes). ** It's best to go by internal temp, not time, so you may need to adjust a bit.
9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve. (It's important to let the bird rest)
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