How to Roast A Turkey

By Lawrence Raybon

Ingredients:

1     12-15lb Turkey (Thawed)

For the Brine:
1 1/2 cup Kosher Salt
3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
12 Rapunzel Vegan Vegetable Bullion Cubes
2 1/2 Gallons of Water
2 Tbsp Black Peppercorns
1 Tbsp Allspice Berries
1 1/2 Tbsp Candied Ginger
3   3" Cinnamon Sticks

Other Ingredients :
3    10lb bags of ice
1 large or 2 small apples
1 large or 2 small Sweet Onions
4     3" Cinnamon Sticks
1/2 cup  water
2     8" Sprigs of Rosemary
6  sage leaves or 1 tbsp dried
Canola oil

To Make the Brine:

Bring 1 Gallon of water to boil in a stockpot. 

Add all the brine ingredients except the rest of the water to the gallon of boiling water.  Stir till dissolved and then let boil for 4 minutes. 

Empty one of the 10 lb bags of ice into a 50qt plastic container (or any clean plastic container that can hold a turkey with plenty of room to spare).

Pour the brine over the ice to instantly cool it.

Place the turkey into the brine breast side down. 

Pour Half of a 10 lb bag of ice over the turkey to keep it cool and keep it submerged. 

Place a probe meat thermometer into the brine and set it to warn you if the temperature rises above 40 degrees.  Add Ice as necessary to keep temperature down.  Let brine for 6 hours.

After 6 hours flip the turkey to be breast side up and then let brine for another 6 hours.  Make sure the temperature doesn’t rise above 40 degrees.

After brining for a total of 12 hours, remove the turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly inside and out.  Pat dry.  Discard the brine.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees

In a microwave safe dish combine apple, onion, cinnamon sticks and 1/2 cup of water and microwave on high for 1 minute.

Place the Turkey in a roasting pan with wings turned back.

Place the microwaved apple, onion and cinnamon in the Turkey’s cavity along with the rosemary and sage.

Brush the Turkey liberally with canola oil (or other neutral oil)

Roast the Turkey on the lowest level of the oven for 30 minutes at 500 degrees.

After 30 minutes remove the Turkey from the oven and cover the breast with a layer of aluminum foil.

Insert a probe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and set the alarm for 161 degrees.

Reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees and put the Turkey back in the oven. 

Wait for the Turkey to reach 161 degrees 2 and a half to 3 hours.

When the Turkey reaches 161 degrees, remove it from the oven and let rest 15 minutes, covered loosely, before carving.

Enjoy!

Please watch me cook a Turkey in the following two videos to see exactly what I’m talking about!