Roasting a Simple, Delicious Thanksgiving Turkey

This is an altered version of an Alton Brown recipe. Feel free to substitute any brine recipe you'd prefer.  

Yield: 8-10 servings, with leftovers for later.

Brine
1-1/2 cups Kosher salt

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 gallon water, divided use

10 cloves garlic, smashed

1 Tbs. peppercorns

5-6 sprigs fresh rosemary, rolled with a rolling pin to release essence/oils

12-14 lb. turkey
Canola oil, for rubbing over turkey

Turkey Aromatics

1 yellow onion, halved

1 lemon, halved

1 orange, halved

1 head garlic, halved

2 bundles fresh thyme, divided use

2 bundles fresh sage, divided use

Vegetable or canola oil, for basting

Brining the Turkey:

• Dissolve the salt and sugar in 1 quart of boiling water; add the smashed garlic, peppercorns, and fresh rosemary.  Cool the brine solution with 3 quarts of cold water. 
• Remove the giblets (and any other foreign matter) from the turkey interior and rinse well; place turkey in a nice, clean cooler. Pour in the cooled brine mixture to cover. If the turkey is not completely submerged in the brine, add more liquid (chicken broth is great, but can add water if needed) to cover the turkey.    
• Cover with ice, close the lid, and brine the turkey for 10-12 hours. (Exact soak times will vary. Start with 10 hours and make changes per your taste to subsequent bird.)

Roasting the Turkey:

•         Move the oven rack to the lowest level and preheat the oven to 500˚F. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse to remove any of the fresh herbs that may have stuck to the skin; pat dry with paper towels. Discard the brine and thoroughly wash the cooler.
•       Rub the turkey liberally with canola oil, taking care to get all the nooks and crannies around the wings and legs – everywhere!
•       If pop-up thermometer is still inserted in turkey, promptly pull out and discard. 
•      Remove wire that hold holds turkey legs together so that the cavity of the turkey is open and exposed.  Push onion, lemon, orange and garlic halves into turkey cavity.  Lastly, insert 1 bundle each of thyme and sage, letting them protrude from turkey cavity, as necessary.
•     Set the prepared turkey on a greased roasting rack in a roasting pan and place into the preheated oven. Roast at 500˚F for 1/2 hour or until nicely browned.
•     Remove the turkey from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Cover the turkey with a double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil.  Roast turkey for an additional 2 – 2½ hours or until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 degrees in the thigh. 
•    Remove the turkey from the oven, keeping the bird covered with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 30 minutes before carving to allow turkey to re-absorb it's juices. Once turkey has had it's rest, it's time to carve and eat.  

·     Now You’re Cookin’,

Chef Alli 

Yes, You Need to BRINE Your Turkey!

Brining is a wonderfully easy technique that adds moisture and flavor, not to mention MOISTURE to Tom Turkey.  And, no, it won't make your bird too salty! Below is the brine recipe that I'm trying this season, along with the easy how-to steps. Once you try it, you'll be brining your turkey every holiday and you'll never look back. 

6 cups apple cider
1 oz. fresh thyme
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 Tbs. allspice berries
1 Tbs. peppercorns
1 cup granulated sugar
3 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 oranges, each cut in half
1 1/2 cups kosher salt

To prepare brine:  Place all ingredients into a large saucepan or stock pot and bring to a boil; whisk until sugar and salt is completely dissolved, then remove from heat and cool in the fridge.

Place thawed, rinsed turkey (I usually get a 15-18 lb. bird) into a large, upright container that will fit into your spare refrigerator or down into a cooler (cooler lid must close) and pour in brine, completely submerging turkey.  (If you don't have an upright cooler that's large enough, you can place bird directly into a sterile cooler, then pour brine into cooler to submerge the turkey.  Sometimes, depending on the size of the cooler, this takes a bit more brine.)  

Let turkey rest in the brine for 12-16 hours, keeping it cool at all times, either in the fridge or with ice added to the cooler.  If your bird is really big, say 22-28 lbs., let it brine even up to 24 hours.

Remove turkey from the brine and rinse well, both inside and out.  Roast turkey using your preferred method.  

**Note:  If you are using the drippings from a brined bird for making gravy, be sure you taste the gravy before adding any seasonings - the drippings tend to be pretty salty.  

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli

Gram's Good Ole Turkey Gravy

Making gravy can sometimes be a challenge, especially when we only prepare it on special holiday occasions. To produce delicious, lump-free gravy for Thanksgiving dinner, here are a few Chef Alli tips, along with Grandma’s recipe, to ensure your success:


• Allow at least ½ cup gravy per person – more if you have several big-eaters coming for dinner. I usually double my gravy recipe, just to be sure plenty of gravy remains for leftovers – you can never have too much gravy!

• When making turkey gravy, I prefer to use cornstarch as my thickening agent, instead of flour, mostly because this is how my Grandma did it, and by using her exact recipe, it brings back a lot of childhood memories. Sauces and gravies made with cornstarch look rather “clear” in appearance, rather than opaque, and typically have a nice sheen, which is kind of nice for turkey gravy, in this humble chef’s opinion. I also think it’s unusual that Gram’s recipe calls for using milk to make the slurry, instead of water.

• To thicken gravy when using cornstarch, it’s usually best to make a “slurry first”. I make my slurry by whisking a small amount of water (usually ¼ - ½ cup is plenty) with 1 Tbs. cornstarch until smooth. The slurry is then added to the liquids (usually broth) and pan drippings that you want thickened to create your gravy. As a rule, you will need 1 Tbs. of cornstarch for every 2 cups of broth you are using to make your gravy. For a flavorful gravy, it helps to remember this: 1 Tbs. cornstarch (or flour) + 1 Tbs. drippings + 2 cups liquid. Just know that you will always be adjusting these measurements slightly, as you are whisking and thickening your gravy.

• Good tools are essential for creating good gravy – I recommend a silicone-coated FLAT whisk; this tool will allow you to get right up to the very edge of your pan so that you can whisk constantly for a nice, smooth, lump-free sauce or gravy – very important! Plus, you will need a nice, deep stainless steel (cast iron is even better!) skillet for preparing gravy – 12” is a good size.

Gram’s Recipe
Make giblet broth:
1 pkg. turkey giblets (this is the package that’s inside your turkey)
1 medium carrot, thickly sliced
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
1 medium celery rib, thickly sliced
1/ 2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup whole milk
2 Tbs. cornstarch

In a 3 quart sauce pan over high heat, place reserved turkey giblets (these usually include the neck, heart, and gizzard) along with the vegetables, adding enough water to cover all. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low and simmer for approx. 1 hour, skimming any foam from the top. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh strainer and into a bowl, discarding solids. Cover and store in refrigeration until ready to use.

Place 2-3 Tbs. drippings from turkey roasting pan, into a large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, combine 1 cup whole milk with 2 Tbs. cornstarch; whisk until smooth to make slurry. Whisk slurry into drippings, and bring mixture to a low boil. Simmer, whisking constantly, adding prepared broth as you go to achieve gravy consistency you desire. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

8-10 servings of gravy

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli

Thanksgiving – Remember the 3 D’s of Dinner!

On Thursday morn, I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes of TV time with Dave and Amanda on the WIBW Morning Show. With Turkey Day fast approaching, we discussed how much anxiety this can bring to Thanksgiving hostesses. Here's what I recommended to WIBW viewers:

The 3 D's of Thanksgiving Dinner
DON'T compare. Never compare your dinner to Grandma's or Mom's Thanksgiving dinner. They are most likely seasoned cooks and veteran hostesses who have hosted many holiday dinners. Remember that they have had years to refine their Thanksgiving preparations and presentations; when they first started out, they probably felt a little apprehensive and nervous, too. Have faith – you can do it!

DELEGATE! If you have volunteered to cook the turkey, feel free to assign ALL the Thanksgiving side dishes to your guests, including desserts. They are anxious to bring something to your dinner and are honored that you ask them to do so. If you have opened your home to host Thanksgiving and you are willing to be in charge of cooking the turkey, that's enough.

DO be a gracious hostess. As much as we might like to believe it is, the FOOD is not the most important element of Thanksgiving dinner – it's your GUESTS. As a gracious hostess, your job is to ensure that they have a good time while in your home. Even if you serve your guests frozen dinners on TV trays because you burned up the turkey, all is ok as long as they had enjoyable time as your guest. You have just created a very special holiday memory for them that they will never forget!

Watch for me on WIBW (and right here!) throughout this Thanksgiving season as I offer help and tips for making Thanksgiving dinner a positive experience in your kitchen!
Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli