The Perfect Roast Turkey

Step 1: Brining

Step 2: Roasting

Step 3: Make The Gravy

Follow these fool-proof steps and you will have a juicy, crisp-skinned, flavorful turkey.

We suggest brining your bird before roasting. It’s not as tough as you think and ensures that your turkey will be juicy and well-seasoned, with great flavor throughout.  Never again will you have dry, flavorless breast meat. Our SKORDO Brine features salt, brown sugar, juniper berries, candied ginger, bay leaves, pink and black peppercorns, and other ingredients, some of which are echoed in this roasting recipe! Make sure to follow this up with delicious, luscious gravy made in your Turkey roasting pan.

 Ingredients

• 1 small yellow onion, cut into quarters
• 1 Granny Smith apple, sliced
• 1 small purple onion, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp juniper berries (optional)
• 1 cup water
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 6 leaves fresh sage
• ¼ lb butter, room temperature
• 1 young turkey, approx. 15 pounds
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 cups turkey stock
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper, freshly ground

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. 
2. Place the brined turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack inside a heavy roasting pan.  Pat the turkey dry, inside and out, with a paper towel.  Place the carrots, celery, and quartered onion in the bottom of the roasting pan.
3. Combine the apple, sliced onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a small sauce pan.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Add aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with rosemary, sage, juniper berries (if using), and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Tuck both wings underneath the bird and tie legs together.
4. Combine room temperature butter with 1 tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp black pepper.  Rub half the butter under turkey breast skin and use the other half to coat the outside of the turkey. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground black pepper.  Pour 2 cups of the turkey stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. 
5. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, ensuring that it is not touching any bone.  Roast the turkey, uncovered, at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.  During cooking, cover the breast with foil if it has reached your desired color. Also, add additional stock, as required.
6. Cook until thermometer reads 165 degrees F. Turkey is done when legs move freely and leg joint juices run clear or slightly pink if pierced with a fork.  Cooking will require 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
7.  Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes, loosely covered with foil, prior to serving.