Finally the turkey! The main entrée of a Thanksgiving feast (unless you are a vegetarian or a non-turkey eater). I am sure by now you have been inundated by various cookbooks, TV shows, and magazine on what type of turkey to buy and how big a turkey to get. So I will not be covering that. However, if you do have questions check this website out: http://www.holidayfoodsafety.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=59 .

I do believe preference in the kind of turkey (organic, fresh, frozen, heritage, etc.) is totally up to you. I used to think there is a difference between fresh and frozen, but I have been told, not. Only difference is one is fresh the other is—frozen. There is no difference in taste or texture unless it is a self-basting turkey. Frozen turkeys need to thaw for several days while fresh is ready for use but can only be kept refrigerated no more than one to two days. So that said, let’s move on.

There are many ways to add moisture to a turkey. I am partial to brining as I like how moist it gets after roasting, and if I occasionally forget the time, a brined turkey is a little more forgiving where dryness is concern. Rubbing the entire turkey with butter also helps to keep the turkey moist. To make it more flavorful mix in some fresh herbs to the butter before rubbing. Rub and massage unsalted butter over the entire surface of the turkey to include in between the skin and meat. Gently loosen the skin, by breaking through the fine membrane that connects the skin to the flesh, and rub in butter softened at room temperature all over the turkey. Flavor injectors are also great for adding more moisture and flavor to the turkey. I prefer to make my own flavor injector by mixing chicken broth, ground up herbs and spices, and melted butter.

Apricot Glazed

One 16-pound turkey

3 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 lemon, halved

5 garlic cloves, crushed

1 medium onion, quartered

8 fresh thyme sprigs

4 large fresh rosemary sprigs

4 fresh sage sprigs

1 bay leaf

Glaze

¾ cup apricot jam

2 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 ½ tablespoon finely chopped sage

1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme

½ tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Clean and pat dry turkey. If refrigerated, bring to room temperature 1 hour before roasting.

Rub turkey all over with olive oil. Season inside out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, crushed garlic, onion, thyme, rosemary, sage and bay leaf. Roast the turkey for about 2 1/2 hours, until golden all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted between the leg and thigh registers 165°.

Glaze: In a small bowl, mix the apricot jam, lemon juice, lemon zest and sage, thyme, rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Microwave the glaze until thinned slightly, about 20 seconds. 

Brush the turkey with half of the glaze and roast for about 15 minutes. Brush the turkey with the remaining glaze and roast for another 15 minutes longer, until the skin is deep mahogany and an instant-read thermometer inserted between the leg and thigh registers 175°. Tilt the turkey to drain all the juices from the cavity into the roasting pan. Reserve the pan juices to make the gravy.  Transfer the turkey to a carving board and let rest for 45 minutes.

Serves 12

Brined Herb-Roasted

Brining

8 quarts cold water

2 cups coarse kosher salt
2 cups packed brown sugar

8 large fresh or dried bay leaves
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons whole allspice

8 fresh thyme sprigs

8 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 16- to 17-pound turkey; giblets removed, neck reserved

Herb Butter Rub

1 ½ stick unsalted butter, room temperature

3 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

3 tablespoon minced fresh sage

3 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Roasting

2 large onions, quartered

1 large orange, quartered

1 lemon, quartered

4 large rosemary sprigs

2 large sage sprigs

1 cup chicken or turkey broth

Method

Brining turkey:  Combine 1 quart water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice, thyme and rosemary sprigs in saucepan. Bring liquid to simmer; stirring until sugar and salt dissolves. Remove from heat and add 1 quart cold water to cool to lukewarm.  Place turkey in ice chest and pour mixture over turkey to submerged, adding ice to keep turkey chilled. Marinate turkey in brine for at least 8-12 hours. Remove turkey from brine and give it a quick rinse and drain well. Discard brine. Place turkey in prepared pan and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Herb butter: Mix herbs and spices into softened butter in small bowl.

To roast the turkey: Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 450°F. Remove turkey from roasting pan; drain any accumulated juices from main cavity. Rub herb butter between skin and meat and all over the surface of the turkey. Place quartered onion, orange, lemon rosemary and sage sprigs in the main cavity. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together loosely to hold shape Place turkey in roasting pan. Pour ½ cup chicken broth at the bottom of the pan, adding more if bottom of pan gets dry.

Roast turkey 30 minutes and turn oven temperature down to 350ºF. Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 160°F, basting turkey every 30 minutes with pan juices and covering breast loosely with foil if browning too quickly, about 2 hours longer (2-1/2 to 3 hours total). Transfer turkey to platter; let stand at least 30 minutes before carving (internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees).

Serves 12