Brined Holiday Turkey & Gravy

For the Turkey, you’ll need:
1 turkey, thawed
1 large food grade bucket to hold turkey
4 cups apple juice
1 cup sea salt
2 Tbl peppercorns
6 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves
5 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 oranges, cut into halves
1 lemon, cut in half
1 cup brown sugar
1 gallon water
1 gallon of ice
roasting pan with rack
Softened butter or olive oil
sea salt and pepper
meat thermometer
You will need to brine your turkey the day before so you need to make sure it’s thawed - plan on 1 day for every 5 pounds. For example: a 20-pound turkey will take 4 days and don’t forget you need a day to brine.
To make the brine:
- Combine 1 gallon of water in a large pot, add apple juice, 1 cup sea salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, rosemary, oranges and lemon (squeezing juice into water) and brown sugar. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add 1 gallon of ice. Stir until ice has melted. Refrigerate brine until it is 41 degrees or below.
- Remove giblets and neck from cavity of turkey and place turkey into large bucket. Pour brine over turkey and refrigerate for 16-24 hours.
Cooking the Turkey:
- Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse turkey well. Place on roasting rack, breast side up. Rub outside of skin with softened butter or olive oil. Season inside and outside of turkey with sea salt and black pepper. Place in oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. After the first hour of cooking, cover breast with foil to prevent over-browning. Plan on 14-16 minutes per pound. For example: a 20-pound turkey will take approx. 4 hours and 40 minutes – 5 hours and 20 minutes. The only way to be certain your turkey is fully cooked is to use a thermometer and insert into the thickest part of the thigh.
- Let turkey stand for at least 20 minutes before carving.
For the gravy, you’ll need:
½ cup butter or oil
½ cup flour or GF flour blend
4-5 cups turkey broth and/or drippings
To make the gravy:
First collect the drippings from your roasting pan and pour into a measuring cup, add enough turkey or chicken broth to make 4 cups.
In a sauce pan, over medium heat, melt butter or heat olive oil. Stir in flour and whisk to form a roux. Slowly add broth/drippings while whisking. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep on low until ready to serve.






