OVEN ROASTED TURKEY

5 from 11 votes

Impress your Thanksgiving guests by serving some Damn Good Roast Turkey. Its unbelievably moist from the apple cider brine and flavorful from all the herbs.

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Resting time20

Total Time2 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Krissy Allori

Equipment

Ingredients

Brine:

8 cups apple cider
2/3 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns coarsely crushed
1 tablespoon whole allspice coarsely crushed
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 12-pound turkey (ensure its fully thawed if previously frozen)
2 Valencia oranges quartered
6 cups ice

Roasted turkey:

as many fresh herbs as will fit into cavity sage, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, basil
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
freshly ground black pepper divided
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

To prepare brine: Combine 8 cups apple cider, 2/3 cup kosher salt, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon whole allspice, 6 whole cloves, and 2 bay leaves in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes until salt dissolves. Cool completely.
Remove giblets and neck from 1 12-pound turkey, refrigerate until ready to use, and reserve for gravy. Rinse turkey with cold water and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Stuff body cavity with orange quarters. Place a turkey-sized oven bag inside a large stockpot. Place turkey inside bag. Add cold cider mixture and 6 cups ice. Squeeze as much air out of bag as possible. twist top and secure with twist tie or tuck end so that it stays put. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
To roast the turkey: Preheat oven or grill to 450ºF.
Remove turkey from bag, and discard brine and 2 Valencia oranges (quartered), then bag. Rinse turkey with cold water and pat dry. Cut a small slit in the breast skin so that you can tuck wing tips under to keep in place. Tie legs together with kitchen string if the turkey didn't already come with a fastener. Place as many fresh herbs as will fit into cavity of the bird. Pour 2 cups chicken broth in the bottom of a roasting pan that will be under the bird (this will also catch the drippings). Place roasting rack in pan if roasting in the oven or if using a rack and roasting pan on your grill. I cooked mine on the trager and put a pan on the grease tray under the rack, and the turkey directly on the rack.
Arrange turkey, breast side down, on roasting rack. Brush turkey with half of your butter and sprinkle with with 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast at 450ºF for 30 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF.
Carefully turn turkey over (breast side up). Brush turkey breast with the remaining butter and sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Bake at 350ºF for 1 hour and 15 minutes* or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of breast registers 150ºF. Remove turkey from oven, tent with foil with thermometer still inserted, and let stand until internal temperature reads 160-165ºF , about 20 minutes. Reserve pan drippings for gravy.

Notes

Cooking a larger turkey?

The original recipe was for a 12 pound turkey. I recently cooked a 16 pound turkey following this recipe and the total cook time was 2.5 hours (30 minutes at a higher temp) plus a 30 minute rest period.

Nutrition