Thanksgiving Turkey

If your turkey is frozen, take it out of the freezer on the Monday of Thanksgiving week. It will need 3 days to defrost. The safest way to defrost a turkey is to put it in a large roasting pan and put it in the refrigerator.

On Tuesday, make the brine. Combine all of the brine ingredients in a large stock pot and bring it to a low boil over medium high heat. Let it gently boil for 5 minutes, then take it off of the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Once it cools, store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator overnight.

On Wednesday night, wash out your biggest cooler. Put the mostly thawed (unwrapped, with giblets removed) turkey into the cooler, then pour the brine all over it. Add a cup of water and about 4-5 cups of ice, then shut the cooler and store it overnight in a cool location like a basement or garage.

On the morning of Thanksgiving, preheat the oven to 500 F. Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the brine. Thoroughly rinse the turkey with cold water inside and out, then pat it dry with a paper towel. Get the turkey onto a roasting pan fitted with a rack.

Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the celery, onion, roasted garlic cloves, thyme, rosemary and sage. In a small bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, herbs de provence, turmeric and coriander. Brush that mixture all over the turkey to coat it. Put the turkey into the oven for 30 minutes at the high temperature to really sear the skin.

Once 30 minutes are up, turn down the oven heat to 350 F. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey breast. Let the turkey continue to roast until the internal temperature reaches 161 F, which takes about 3 to 3 1/2 hours total (including the first 30 minutes on high) for a 16 pound bird. This time will vary if your bird is larger or smaller.

Take the turkey out of the oven and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes with a tent of foil over it, then carefully transfer it to a carving board. Remove the rack from the roasting pan but leave the roasting pan with all of the glorious drippings to make an incredible gravy.

Carve the gorgeous Thanksgiving turkey to the delight of your guests and enjoy a wonderful Holiday meal!

Note: To roast garlic, preheat the oven to 400 F. Remove the outer paper layers from a head of garlic and cut the top tip off to reveal the tops of the cloves inside. Drizzle the top with a little olive oil, then wrap it in foil and roast it in the oven for an hour. Perfection! Roasted garlic has so many uses! It can be stored in the refrigerator for weeks, so you can make a head of roasted garlic well in advance of Turkey day. I use it in every dish!