Categories: thanksgiving

Ingredients

• 1 gallon vegetable stock
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sage
• 2 tablespoons thyme
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 gallon cold water
• 14 lb turkey
• 2 tablespoons sage
• 2 tablespoons thyme
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon curry
• 2 tablespoons oregano
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 apples
• celery
• onion

Directions

1. 2 to 3 days before roasting:

2. Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

3. Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, sage, thyme, and cumin in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

4. Early on the day or the night before you’d like to eat:

5. Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 14 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

6. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

7. Pat bird dry with paper towels. Tuck the wings beneath the bird and rub the inside and outside with olive oil, sage, thyme, cumin, curry and oregano. Place inside a roasting bag.

8. Combine the apple, onion, celery, and 1 cup of water. Add aromatics to the bag with the turkey along with the rosemary and sage.

9. Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

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