Roast Turkey

Recipe courtesy of Estate Culinary Team

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 medium boneless turkey breast, about 5 lbs

For the Brine:
900 grams sea salt
10 quarts room temperature water
4 whole garlic bulbs
1 pint honey
2 bunches thyme
2 bunches parsley
8 bay leaves, preferably fresh
50 grams black peppercorns
12 sprigs rosemary
12 whole lemons
10 quarts ice water

DIRECTIONS
1. Making the brine: in a large, nonreactive stockpot, combine all the brine ingredients except the lemons and ice water.
2. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the stock pot – don’t worry about the seeds at this point. Drop in the lemon halves as well to extract maximum lemon flavor from the zest.

3. Bring the whole mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and infuse for about 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and cool the brine to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight, or at least until completely cold.
4. Strain the brine and add 10 quarts of ice water to dilute.
5. Place the turkey breast in a large Ziploc bag with enough brine to cover, remove as much of the air as possible, and place in a bowl or shallow pan to catch any leakage. Alternatively, place the breast and brine in an appropriately sized container, using a plate to make sure the meat remains fully submerged. Brine the turkey breast in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
6. Remove the meat from the brine, rinse it in cold water, and pat dry. Place on a rack over a sheet tray and put back in the refrigerator on the lowest shelf to decrease the risk of cross-contamination. Allow the breast to dry, uncovered, for 72 hours. This is the secret to the crispiest skin possible.
7. Roast at 425 degrees F on a baking sheet with a rack. If using a convection oven, start with the fan on high. If the skin starts to color too quickly before the meat is cooked, loosely tent it with foil and turn the fan setting to low. Cook the breast for about 45 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads about 145-147 degrees. Once removed from the oven, residual heat will continue to cook the meat until it reaches an internal temperature OF 165 degrees. This ensures that the meat will stay moist while achieving the FDA-recommended temperature for food safety.
8. Rest, loosely covered, for about 15 minutes. Slice and enjoy with your favorite sides and a glass of St. Supéry Rutherford Estate Vineyard Merlot.

Wine Pairing: Rutherford Estate Vineyard Merlot

Reviews (0)

There are currently no reviews for this recipe. Why don't you leave one of your own?

You must be logged in to leave a review. Log in here.