Ingredients
Scale
Supplies needed
- Clean 5-gallon bucket or large pot to submerge entire turkey
- Roasting pan with rack
- Basting brush
- Meat thermometer
Turkey ingredients
- 1 turkey, 12-20 pounds
- 1 package brine mix (or make your own; see below)
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 apple, quartered
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 2–3 ribs celery
- 2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 handful fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 handful fresh sage sprigs
Herb butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened or melted (use coconut oil to make it paleo)
- 1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (rosemary, parsley, sage, thyme, etc.)
Instructions
- Start with a completely thawed turkey. Remember to allow several days for thawing a frozen turkey!
- Brine the turkey for 12-48 hours: bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, then add brine mix and stir to dissolve salt and coconut sugar. Allow to cool a bit, then add to a clean 5-gallon bucket. Add ice or cold water to the bucket. Remove giblets, etc. from the turkey cavity and place the thawed turkey in the bucket and add more ice or cold water to cover bird. Place the bucket in a refrigerator for 12-48 hours.
- About one hour before roasting, remove the turkey from the brine and allow to air dry while reaching room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, adjusting the rack so the turkey will rest in the center of the oven.
- Prepare the herb butter: combine softened or melted butter with minced garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh chopped herbs.
- Place the turkey on the rack in the roasting pan, breast side up. Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper.
- Stuff the turkey with onion, apple, and lemon quarters, plus celery ribs and fresh herb sprigs.
- With your fingers, loosen and lift the skin above the breast and spread a few tablespoons of herb butter between the skin and the breast.
- Tuck the wings of the turkey under the bird and use a basting brush to spread the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the turkey, including the legs and wings.
- Roast at 325 degrees F until internal temperature reaches about 165 degrees, with the thermometer inserted in the middle of the thigh and breast. Allow 13-15 minutes per pound.
- You may wish to check the turkey about halfway through the roasting process. If the skin is brown, you can cover the top of the turkey with aluminum foil to prevent the breast meat from overcooking. *I find that brining helps to keep the meat tender and have not needed to protect the turkey with foil.
- Allow the turkey to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving and serving.
Notes
To make your own brine mix, combine 3-4 cups salt; 1-2 cups sugar; 2 oranges, sliced; and any seasonings you prefer, such as peppercorns and herbs.