Tender roasted turkey with citrus and aromatics. No basting required! |
Equipment
- Meat thermometer
- Food-safe plastic bag (for dry brining)
- Kitchen twine - (optional)
Ingredients
- One (14 pound) whole defrosted turkey, giblets and neck removed
For the Dry Brine:
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
For the Aromatics:
- 1 medium orange, halved
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and halved
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Dry Brining the Turkey
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
- Mix dry brine ingredients in a bowl. Rub the turkey with dry brine until fully covered.
- Place turkey into a roasting bag, preferably a sealable one, pressing out the air to seal it tight.
- Place bag in a roasting pan, breast side up and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days, turning the turkey at least once a day and rubbing the salt into the bird through the plastic bag.
- After 2 to 3 days (1 day before your meal) remove the bird from the fridge and out of the plastic bag.
- Do not rinse the bird. Pat it dry with paper towels.
- Return the turkey to the roasting pan on a roasting rack and refrigerate uncovered for another 24 hours.
Roasting the Turkey
- Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 500 F. Place the rack in the lower third of the oven. Raise or remove the upper racks so the turkey can fit with room to spare on top.
- Place the orange sections, onion, rosemary, and thyme into the cavity of the turkey.
- Rub turkey with the butter, covering all of the skin. Season generously with the pepper.
- Tuck the wings behind the back of the turkey and secure. Tie the legs closed with kitchen twine (some have a small plastic tie that holds them together).
- Pour the chicken broth into the pan around the turkey and place into the oven.
- Roast the turkey at 500 F for 30 minutes. Insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 F.
- Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 ½ hours of roasting. Turkey will continue to cook after removal from oven.
- Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.
- Use an internal thermometer to start checking the temperature after 2 hours by sticking it into the deepest part of the thigh, making sure avoid touching the bone.
Notes
- Remember to remove turkey from the freezer and begin thawing in refrigerator 2 to 3 days before cooking.
- The giblets and neck are usually stored in a small bag inside of the head cavity.
- If possible, avoid opening the oven door while cooking your turkey. Checking it excessively will drop the oven temperature and can extend the required cooking time. Instead, use the oven light or a digital probe thermometer to monitor the turkey.
- If you notice your turkey is turning brown too quickly, create a tent with aluminum foil to cover it while it finishes cooking. Remove toward the end of cooking time to allow it to brown.
- If you prefer to baste your turkey, begin basting 30 minutes before it's expected to be done.