Nani's Cranny

The Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

Turkey
Turkey
My daughter’s friend, Phil, prides himself on cooking the perfect Thanksgiving turkey and he has kindly shared his recipe with us. He has combined several recipes and techniques to create this favorite and perfect recipe. I have made it the last 2 Thanksgivings and it is indeed perfect.

Brine

  • 2 gallons water
  • 2 cups kosher salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup dried tarragon
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper

Injection Solution

  • turkey neck/wings
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 cube butter
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 stalks celery leaves

Stuffing

  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 medium apple
  • 1 medium orange
  • 1 medium lemon
  • fresh poultry seasoning (rosemary, sage, & thyme)

Brine the turkey
Boil water then add all other ingredients. Mix thoroughly and let cool completely. Pour brine into large tub or cooler. Gently add the turkey. Let the turkey bask in refridgerator for 24 hours or overnight. Remove turkey from brine, rinse and gingerly pat dry.

Inject the turkey
Simmer turkey neck/wings, water, butter, garlic power and celery for a few hours. Strain. Allow to cool before injecting. Using a kitchen syringe, inject the living daylights out of the turkey making sure to adequately inject the meaty areas of the turkey.

Stuff the turkey
Stuff turkey with quartered onion, apple, orange and lemon and poultry seasonings. You may not have enough room for all the ingredients. Just wing it!

Roasting Instructions
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush turkey breast with butter then set turkey breast side down on greased foil lined V rack. Brush back of turkey with butter. Roast 45 minutes. Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven: brush back with butter, rotate turkey leg-wing-side up. Roast 15 min. longer.

Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven, brush exposed surfaces with butter and rotate turkey breast side up. Reduce oven temp. to 325. Roast until thickest part of breast registers at 165 and the thickest part of thigh registers 175. Baste periodically with butter and/or drippings.

Remove turkey from oven. Let rest 20 minutes before carving.

Nani Tip

The only thing that I do differently is that I make my favorite stuffing and stuff my turkey with it.

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