The time is quickly approaching when family and friends gather around a table to give thanks for the year they have had and the blessings that they have been granted. While there are many dishes that are classic and must haves at this feast, this classic American dinner wouldn't be complete without the much-anticipated centerpiece. A beautiful golden-brown turkey presented on a platter, and as the host and hostess you pray that you hear the appreciative murmurs of "Ohhh's and Ahhh's" from the diners.
The stakes are high with this holiday and family tradition. With so many options for making this of this tasty bird where do you even start?
I say, let's start with the preparation. Because, as it turns out, how you prep the bird definitely makes a difference in how it turns out in the end!
A few years ago, my husband and I decided to try a brine for our thanksgiving turkey after having a few dry disasters that our family had to endure for the holiday. We looked up a couple recipes online and after some careful considerations, decided to try the one that sounded the least complicated. It turned out to be a winner. We made a couple changes over the years by adding in a couple extra herbs like sage and bay, but overall, the original recipe has stayed the same.
We use fresh herbs instead of dried ones because they impart a richer flavor to the turkey. Also, because they are fresh, I can easily use them to stuff the bird after they are used in the brine!
Now, you are probably wondering if going through the process of brining a turkey is actually worth the extra work. I can tell you emphatically, it is. It absolutely is!
My Easy Brine for Poultry
Once the turkey is done in the brine you have a wide variety of ways you can actually cook it. There is of course deep frying, grilling, smoking, slow cooker, spatchcocked, the ever-adventurous Turducken and finally, not to be overlooked, there is the simply sweet and traditional roasting it in the oven.
I personally like the traditional oven roasted turkey that I grew up with. However, the turkey that I make for my family and friends is sans the traditional stuffing that I grew up with, that gets cooked separately now, due to the concern for Salmonella.
Taking that change into consideration, it left me trying to figure out what exactly to stuff the turkey with to keep the inside moist and give it flavor. I settled on aromatics, fresh herbs and fruit. Yes, you read that right. Fruit. Oranges, lemons and apples make a great addition to the inside of the bird. Not only do they add a fresh flavor they help keep the inside of the bird moist thanks to their high moisture content.
After stuffing the bird with all of my chosen aromatics, fresh herbs and fruit I lather the outside of the bird with a butter and Herb de Provance mixture.
I personally like this blend which includes the traditional herbs that you will find with the added herb lavender. I feel like the subtle floral notes of the lavender play beautifully off of the citrus from the fruit that the bird is stuffed with.
You can find this blend in the dried herb and spice isle at your local market, or you can get it on Amazon, just follow this link. https://amzn.to/3FxUFt
After all of the wonderful TLC that this turkey has gotten it will get roasted in the oven at 325 degrees F in an oven bag until the core reaches the internal temperature of 165 degrees F. The general rule of thumb is 15 min for every pound of bird.
Now, I will say that even though the turkey is in an oven bag, I do open it from time to time to baste the turkey. You defiantly do not need to do this as the bag is specifically made to keep the moisture in, but I usually can't keep myself from wanting to see how the turkey is progressing and basting it is a good excuse!
At the end of the cooking time, I (or should I say my husband) transfers the golden-brown turkey to a platter for serving. Putting that beautiful bird on the table for everyone you love to eat is a really great feeling. And let's be honest. The "ohhhhs and ahhhhhs" over the perfect bird are nice to hear also!
So. dear readers, how are you going to prepare your turkey this year? Let me know what you did and how it turned out!
How Are You Preparing Your Turkey?
0%Brine it.
0%Inject it with my favorite flavors.
0%Nothing. I throw it in the oven and hope for the best.
0%Dry rub is where it's at.
You can vote for more than one answer.
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