If you're worried about the turkey being dry and tough, salt it before you roast it. Make a flavorful marinade from vegetable stock, spices, and salt. Soak the thawed turkey in the salted concoction with ice water, then let it cool for 8-16 hours. Remove turkey from salted herbs and pat dry. After that, roast the turkey to 75°C and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 6-7 kg frozen turkey
- 1 cup (300 grams) kosher salt
- cup (100 grams) brown sugar
- 4 liters of vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp. (10 grams) black pepper
- 1 tsp. (2 grams) allspice
- 1 tsp. (5 grams) chopped candied ginger
- 4 liters of ice water
Produces 6 to 7 kg turkeys
Step
Part 1 of 3: Defrosting Turkey and Making Salty Herb
Step 1. Transfer the frozen turkey to the refrigerator for 2-3 days before you cook it
Remove the frozen veal turkey weighing 6-7 kg from the freezer, then place in the refrigerator until completely thawed. This may take about 2-3 days.
The refrigerator must be 3 °C or colder
Step 2. Mix the salt, stock, sugar, allspice, and ginger
Place a large saucepan on the stove and pour 4 liters of vegetable stock into it. Add 1 cup (300 grams) kosher salt, cup (100 grams) brown sugar, 1 tbsp. (10 grams) black pepper, 1 tsp. (2 grams) allspice, and 1 tsp. (5 grams) chopped candied ginger.
Step 3. Bring the salty concoction to a boil
Turn the stove on to medium-high heat and stir in the salty ingredients occasionally when they are hot. The salty concoction will start to boil as the sugar dissolves.
Step 4. Let the salty concoction cool and put it in the refrigerator
Turn off the stove and allow the salted ingredients to cool to room temperature. Cover the herb pot and place it in the refrigerator while waiting for the turkey to thaw.
- If the pan doesn't fit in the fridge, put the salted ingredients in a container with a lid. Next, put the container in the refrigerator.
- You can make this salty concoction a few days before roasting the turkey.
Part 2 of 3: Soaking Turkey Meat in Salty Herb
Step 1. Mix the salted concoction with 4 liters of ice water in a large bowl
In the morning when you plan to roast the turkey (or the night before), remove the salty herbs from the refrigerator. Pour the mixture into a bucket or cooler (cooler) measuring about 20 liters. Add ice water and mix until smooth.
Try using a beverage cooler that is 20 liters in size. This container has insulation and a drain for easy cleaning
Step 2. Soak the thawed turkey in the salted mixture
Take the turkey from the refrigerator and remove the innards. Remove the innards and pop-up thermometer (if applicable). Face the turkey breast downward as you submerge it in the salted concoction.
All parts of the turkey meat should be covered in the salted ingredients. If it doesn't submerge, place a heavy plate on top of the turkey to press it down
Step 3. Chill the turkey in the salted concoction for 8-16 hours
Cover the bucket and cool the turkey in the salted concoction. If you are using a cooler with a lid, put the lid on and place it in a cool location while you soak the turkey.
The cooler (which contains the turkey and salted herbs) will keep the turkey at 3 °C or less. If you're concerned that the cooler isn't good enough to refrigerate the turkey, refrigerate it
Part 3 of 3: Roasting Turkey with Salted Herb
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 260 °C and set the oven rack
You may have to remove a rack to get the turkey into the oven. Move the remaining racks to the very bottom of the oven so that you have sufficient space to place the grill.
Step 2. Remove turkey from salted herbs, then rinse with cold water
Place a container of turkey and salted herbs near the sink. Open the lid of the container and remove the turkey from the salted ingredients. Rinse the turkey in the sink under cold water to remove the salty ingredients.
- Make sure you also rinse the inside of the turkey.
- Discard the salted herbs once you have removed the turkey from it. Do not reuse the salty concoction.
Warning:
Cleaning raw turkey can allow harmful bacteria to spread to the kitchen area. To safely remove salty herbs from turkey, wash the sink in hot, soapy water, before and after rinsing the turkey. Cover the area around the sink with paper towels to protect it from splashing water, and place the roasting pan near you so you can move the turkey into it easily. This will also minimize water drops.
Step 3. Place the turkey in the roasting pan, and pat dry it
If you don't have a roasting pan, place a strong wire rack in a large baking dish and place the turkey on top. Dry the turkey using a paper towel.
By drying it, the turkey skin will be crispy when you roast it
Step 4. Season the turkey if desired, and roast the meat for 30 minutes
If desired, add more flavorful ingredients, such as lemon, onion, garlic, or other seasonings in the center of the turkey. Place the turkey in the preheated oven and roast on high heat for 30 minutes.
Step 5. Lower the oven temperature to 180 °C and roast the turkey until it reaches 75°C
This can take about 2 to 2 hours. To see if the turkey is done, stick a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey (near the thighs and wings).
Step 6. Remove the turkey and let it rest for about 15 minutes before you slice it
Turn off the oven and remove the turkey. Cover the turkey with aluminum foil loosely and allow some time to allow the juices to spread back into the meat. After that, you can slice and serve the turkey.
Store any leftover roast turkey in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days
Tips
- Do not soak the turkey in the salty mixture for more than 24 hours as this can harden the meat.
- Do not use processed turkey that is ready to cook, as the meat has been added with salt.
Warning
- Always practice good hygiene, for example by washing your hands and cleaning surfaces when you handle raw poultry.
- The USDA (US department of agriculture) does not recommend rinsing raw turkey, unless you really need to remove excess salty herbs. Rinsing will not remove germs effectively, can spread bacteria in the surrounding area, and increase the risk of disease. The best way to get rid of germs is to thoroughly cook the turkey.
