Turkey For Twenty Recipes

Steps:

• Remove the turkey from its packaging and remove the bags with the neck and giblets from the cavity. Rinse the neck and giblets and put them in a plastic bag in the fridge; you'll need them for the gravy. Rinse the turkey thoroughly with cold water. Place the turkey into a large brining bag or pot. Pour in My Favorite Turkey Brine and place in the fridge for 16 to 18 hours so the brine can work its magic.
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly, inside and out. Soak the turkey in cold water for 15 minutes, then rinse again and pat dry.
• Truss the bird or tuck the legs and wings however you like. Place the bird, breast-side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Cover the whole pan, tenting the bird, with heavy-duty foil so that it's well sealed. Place in the oven and roast the turkey for about 10 minutes per pound. (So, for a 20-pound turkey, about 3 1/2 hours; for a 15-pound turkey, about 2 1/2 hours.) Note: There will still be more cooking time after this, but it'll be at a different temperature.
• When it's time to remove the turkey from the oven, mix together the butter, rosemary and orange zest. Remove the turkey from the oven and increase the temperature to 375 degrees F. Remove the foil and set aside. (Put stuffing in the bird if you wish at this point.) Rub the butter mixture all over the skin of the turkey, getting in the crevices. Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into the thigh, near the hip joint. Place the turkey, uncovered, back into the oven and continue roasting, basting/brushing with the juices in the pan every 30 minutes, until the thermometer registers 165 degrees F and until the juices no longer run pink. This will take another 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the bird.
• Remove from the oven and cover lightly with foil until you are ready to carve.
• Combine the water, cider, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, orange strips and rosemary in a large pot. Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn off the heat. Allow to cool completely before placing in the fridge to chill.

Steps:

• Mix salt, brown sugar, and pepper with your fingertips in a medium bowl to combine.
• Place turkey legs on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Place breasts on another wire rack set inside another rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle dry brine all over outside of turkey, patting to adhere and nudging into crevices (you won't need all of the brine, but it's good to have extra since some of it will fall onto the baking sheet). Chill, uncovered, at least 12 hours and up to 2 days.
• Transfer turkey pieces to a large platter and rinse baking sheets and racks (turkey will most likely release some liquid onto pans). Line each baking sheet with 3 layers of foil, then set wire racks back inside. Place turkey legs and breasts skin side up on separate racks. Let sit at room temperature 2-3 hours.
• Place oven racks in bottom and top third of oven; preheat to 450°F. Tie rosemary, sage, and thyme sprigs together with kitchen twine at bottom of stems so that they resemble an herb mop. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 garlic halves cut side down until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add remaining butter and cook until melted. Reduce heat to low, add herb bundle stem side up, and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until butter is infused, about 15 minutes; discard garlic.
• Mix rosemary, sage, and thyme leaves in a medium bowl. Loosen skin on turkey breasts and thighs. Using your palm, nudge small handfuls of herb leaves between flesh and skin. Arrange remaining 4 garlic halves around turkey pieces. Pour 1 cup water into each pan. Using herb bundle, baste turkey and garlic with infused butter. Roast turkey, basting with herb bundle and rotating pans top to bottom and front to back every 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 150°F and thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, 40-50 minutes (some pieces may be done faster than others, so check more than one piece each time). Let turkey rest 30 minutes before carving. Serve with roasted garlic alongside.