Butterflied Juniper-Brined Roasted Turkey with Compound Butter
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 8-10
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 10 servings
- Calories
- 986
- Total Fat
- 46
- Saturated Fat
- 19
- Carbohydrates
- 35
- Dietary Fiber
- 1
- Sugar
- 33
- Protein
- 105
- Cholesterol
- 397
- Sodium
- 1732
- Total: 12 hr 20 min (includes brining and resting times)
- Active: 20 min
Ingredients
Turkey and Brine:
2 cups kosher salt
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons juniper berries
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
5 bay leaves
Zest of 1 lemon
One 14- to 16-pound turkey (not kosher or self-basting), butterflied
Compound Butter:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions
- Combine the salt, brown sugar, juniper, peppercorns, bay leaves and lemon zest with 1 quart (4 cups) water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes. Pour the brine into a plastic container or pot large enough to hold the turkey, add 5 quarts (20 cups) ice water and stir to combine. Submerge the turkey, adding more ice water if needed. Weight the turkey down with a plate to keep it submerged and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.
- Drain, rinse and pat the turkey dry. Transfer to a large paper-towel-lined cutting board and let sit at room temperature until it reaches room temperature, about 1 hour.
For the compound butter:
- Mix the butter, parsley, sage, thyme, pepper, paprika and cloves in a medium bowl until well combined.
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Pat the turkey skin dry again and rub the compound butter evenly over the surface, also pushing some underneath the skin on the breasts. Lay the turkey in a large roasting pan as flat as possible. If the pan is a bit small, tuck the wings behind the back with the drumsticks resting on the ledge of the pan and place a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil at the bottom of the oven to catch drippings.
- Roast, basting the turkey with the pan drippings every 30 minutes or so, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 165 degrees F, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before serving.