Plain Old Awesome Turkey

I think most herbs taste like soap. It’s probably just my palate. Growing up my mother seldom used herbs. What does this have to do with turkey? Well, I like turkey. I don’t like to bombard my turkey with a barrage of ornamental flavors like sage and thyme. Simple, tender, juicy… that’s my turkey motto. However, that doesn’t mean I throw a plain cold turkey into the oven. There are necessary preparations involved with making the perfect juicy turkey. For starters, I like to brine.

Brining is an important process in tenderizing the turkey. Liquid soaks in and keeps the meat moist while it cooks in the oven. However, the brine can have a great influence over your turkey. I use this opportunity to introduce simple flavors that naturally compliment the best flavors of the bird. The brine I use is fairly straightforward; however, I admit I do have one secret ingredient that is a bit out of the ordinary: Allspice Dram.

Allspice Dram is a rich rum made from molasses and combined with allspice. You could substitute a good quality rum, preferably something dark, but the dram gives the bird an indefinable wow. However, even if you skip the liquor all together, the bird will still be tender and delicious.

The base of my brine is made from apple cider, fresh from the farmers market. I let the bird brine for two nights so I use less salt than most recipes. If you can only brine for one night, increase the salt by half a cup. However, I don’t recommend brining for more than two nights or less than one. Also, make sure the turkey is thawed before you brine; think of it like an ice cube in a glass of water.

I do like to stuff my turkey. I use a bag of store bought stuffing but I cook it up with a celery stick, a small onion, and a small apple before stuffing the bird. If you have a favorite stuffing, whether bought or made fresh, feel free to use it. If you prefer an unstuffed bird, go for it, just decrease the cook time by 10-15 minutes. I like to use a food thermometer to be sure the turkey is done. The innermost part of the thigh should read at least 165˚ F.

Ingredients

  • 1 10-20 lb turkey, thawed
  • 2 gallons apple cider
  • 1/2 cup Allspice Dram or dark rum
  • 1 leek
  • 1 1/2 cups kosher salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar, very lightly packed
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1 cup water
Instructions: 

Serving: 4-6 people
Prep Time: 2 days
Cook Time: 3-4 hrs

  1. Bring half a gallon of the cider to a boil. Add the leek, let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the salt and sugar, mixing well.
  2. Let the hot cider cool down. Combine all the cider and the allspice dram. Pick your vessel of choice for brining-- I like a large soup pot and a brining bag.
  3. Place the turkey in the brine (leave the leek in the mixture). Make sure turkey is completely covered by brine. Let brine for 1-2 nights (add 1/2 cup salt if your brining only 1 night).
  4. Preheat oven to 350˚. Remove turkey from brine and rinse well. Place turkey on roasting pan, smother it with butter. Try to get the butter just below the skin. You can substitute olive oil for butter.
  5. Stuff if desired. Add the cup of water to the bottom of the pan.
  6. Loosely cover bird with foil and place in the oven. Remove the foil during the last hour of cooking to brown the bird. In a regular oven, a 10-14 lb bird will cook in about 4 hrs. Use a food thermometer to check, the innermost thigh should be at least 165˚ F.
  7. Remove from heat, let cool 10-15 minutes then carve and enjoy.