No Fail Roast Turkey with Four Wet Rubs
Instructions:
- Why wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy this American staple? Brining the bird protects it during long roasting, ensuring a crisp-outside, moist-inside turkey every time. Makes 10 to 12 servings
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup salt
- One 12- to 14-pound whole turkey, giblets and neck removed, excess skin and fat from both openings trimmed
- 2 medium onions, quartered
- 3 bay leaves
- One of the four wet rubs that follow
- Butcher’s twine
- Whisk the water and salt in a bowl or pot large enough to hold both the bird and about 8 more cups water. Place the turkey in the bowl or pot, then pour in enough cold water to cover fully. Place in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 4 hours but no more than 12 hours.
- Position the rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry. Place the onions and bay leaves in the large cavity. d Insert a fi nger between the skin and meat on one side of the breast over the large cavity opening; gently work more fi ngers into the space without stretching the skin too much as it comes free of the meat, thereby creating a pocket between the skin and the meat. Do the same on the other side of the breast.
- Massage a quarter of the chosen spice rub over the meat exposed under the skin on each side of the breast, again taking care not to stretch the skin too much. Rub the rest of the spice mixture over the exterior skin, patting the breast skin back into place. Truss the bird with butcher’s twine, then set it on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
- Roast until well browned, basting occasionally with the pan juices (but taking care not to dislodge the rub), until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165°F (our preference) or 180°F (the USDA recommendation), 3 to 31â„2 hours. When pierced, the juices in the thigh should run clear. Let the turkey stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before carving; discard the bay leaves before carving.
- Note: A 12-pound hard-frozen turkey will take 2 to 3 days to thaw in the refrigerator. You can speed up the process by wrapping the frozen bird tightly in plastic wrap so there are no leaks and fully submerging it in a huge pot of cold water set in the refrigerator; a 12-pounder will take 6 to 7 hours to thaw.