Turkey Time

Brined Roast Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy

In addition to brining, a few tricks make this turkey especially moist and flavorful. Stuffing fresh herbs between the skin and breast meat gives the meat an extra dimension of flavor and roasting the turkey breast side down for the first hour allows the juices to collect in the breast. The turkey browns beautifully as it finishes cooking breast side up. Turning the turkey over may sound tricky, but it is actually easy when you grasp the turkey with a pair of oven mitts that have been covered with ziplock bags.

1 recipe Basic Brine for Turkey (recipe follows)

1 12-to 20-lb. turkey, thawed, if frozen

1 recipe Giblet Broth (recipe follows)

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, plus 4 sprigs

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme, plus 6 sprigs

3 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil, divided

Freshly ground pepper

1 medium onion, peeled and quartered

1 apple, cored and quartered

2 cups water

1 1/3 cups apple cider, divided

¼ cup all-purpose flour

At least 7 hours or the night before roasting, make Basic Brine for Turkey. Remove giblets and neck from turkey cavity, and reserve for Giblet Broth. Reserve the liver for another use (you can poach it and give it to your dog for a treat). Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Brine turkey as directed in recipe Basic Brine recipe.

While turkey is brining (or while it is roasting), make Giblet Broth and reserve for turkey.

Set oven rack in the bottom of the oven and preheat to 325°. Coat a wire roasting rack, preferably a V-shaped rack, with cooking spray. Set the rack in a large roasting pan. Mix chopped parsley, chopped thyme, 2 tbsp. oil and pepper in a small bowl. Place turkey on a cutting board. Separate turkey skin from breast meat with your fingers, taking care not to pierce the meat. Smear the herb mixture between flesh and skin on both sides of the breast bone. Rub the remaining 1 tbsp. oil all over the outside of the turkey. Stuff cavity with parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, onion and apples. Tuck wing tips behind back and tie drumsticks together with kitchen twine. Set, turkey breast side down, in the prepared rack. Add 2 cups water to the roasting pan.

Roast turkey for 1 hour. Remove turkey from oven. Protect your hands with oven mitts, then cover with large clean zip-close plastic bags (or use a silicone oven mitt). Carefully turn turkey, so that is breast side up. Baste with pan juices. Return turkey to oven and roast, basting with pan juices every half hour and replenishing water as needed, until an instant-read thermometer registers 180° in the thigh and 170° in the breast. Plan on roasting a 12-lb. turkey about 2 hours longer; a 14-to18-lb. turkey 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 hours longer; an 18-to-20-lb. turkey 3 1/4-to-3 1/2 hours longer.

Transfer turkey to a large serving platter or carving board. Cover loosely with foil and let stand at least 20 minutes before carving. Pour off drippings in the roasting pan and discard. (Drippings for a brined turkey are too salty to be used in gravy). Place roasting pan over 2 burners and pour in 1 cup apple cider. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to intensify flavor. Stain cider into a medium saucepan. Add Giblet Broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for several minutes to intensify flavor. Remove from heat. Mix flour with remaining 1/3 cup apple cider in a small bowl; add to the sauce and whisk until smooth. Return to medium-high heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until lightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove kitchen twine from turkey and carve. Serve with gravy. Makes 3 cups gravy and enough turkey to serve eight, with leftovers.

Note: Since it is difficult to determine how exactly how much sugar and salt are absorbed by the turkey, we do not offer a detailed nutritional analysis. However, if you would to estimate your caloric intake, here are the basics:

One 3-oz. portion cooked turkey breast without skin plus 1/3 cup gravy has 174 calories, 3g total fat and 1g saturated fat.

One 3-oz. portion cooked turkey breast with skin plus 1/3 cup gravy has 201 calories, 6g total fat and 2 g saturated fat.

One 3-oz. portion cooked turkey leg without skin plus 1/3 cup gravy has 199 calories, 6g total fat and 2g saturated fat.

One 3-oz. portion cooked turkey leg with skin plus 1/3 cup gravy has 235 calories 10g total fat and 3g saturated fat.

Basic Brine for Turkey

Soaking a turkey in a saline brine before roasting is an excellent way to ensure that it stays moist. When preparing a holiday meal, it can be difficult to free up enough refrigerator space to hold a large bucket containing turkey and its brine. To make the process more manageable, use a brining bag, a super-sized ziplock bag designed for brining a turkey. You can find brining bags on the internet at www.cooking.com and www.williams-sonoma.com. If there is not enough room in the refrigerator, place the bag in a cooler, fill with ice and set outside (temperatures in the Vermont at Thanksgiving are generally cooperative.)

Note: Do not attempt to brine a pre-basted turkey, such as Butterball, or a kosher turkey because these turkeys have already been treated with salt and the result will be too salty. (If you use pre-salted turkey for the recipe, skip the bringing step.) Another precaution to avoid salt overload: Do not stuff a brined turkey; bake it in a separate baking dish.

1 gallon warm water

2 cups kosher salt

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 gallon ice water

Whisk warm water, salt and sugar in a large bowl until salt and sugar dissolve. Add enough of the ice water to the brine to chill it thoroughly. Discard visible fat from turkey. Remove neck and giblets and reserve for Giblet Broth (recipe xx). Reserve liver for another use. Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water. Place turkey, breast-side down, in a large clean bucket or brining bag. (If using a bag, it is useful to have a helper to steady the bag.) Pour in brine. Top off with remaining ice water. Cover bucket or seal bag and refrigerate (or place in a cooler, surround with ice and set in a cool place) for 6 to 12 hours. (If you are not quite ready to roast the turkey, remove from brine, rinse thoroughly and refrigerate until roasting time. The longer the turkey sits in brine, the saltier it gets.

Remove turkey from brine. Discard brine. Rinse turkey thoroughly inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Makes 2 gallons brine, enough to soak one 12-to 20-lb turkey.

Giblet Broth

It is worth the few extra minutes it takes to fortify canned broth with turkey giblets and aromatic vegetables because the resulting giblet broth virtually guarantees a full-flavored gravy.

To make ahead: Make the broth up to 1 day ahead, cool quickly, then cover and refrigerate until needed.

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

Neck and giblets from 1 turkey, rinsed and patted dry

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped ( 1 cup)

2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped (3/4 cup)

1 14-oz. can reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 cups water

4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled

6 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tsp. black peppercorns, crushed

1 bay leaf

Heat oil in a heavy 4-to-6-qt. Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add turkey neck and giblets, and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add onion and carrots to pot and cook, stirring often, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add broth, water, garlic, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaf and turkey neck and giblets. Bring to a simmer. Skim froth. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer for 1 hour. Pour the broth through a fine strainer into a medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract maximum flavor. Blot fat from surface with paper towel. Makes 2 3/4 cups.

Timing Big Bird

Use the guide from the National Turkey Federation for estimating the total time it will take to roast your turkey. Make sure that the turkey is completely thawed before roasting (as a rule of thumb, to thaw turkey in the refrigerator allow about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds). Give yourself about half an hour to prepare the turkey for the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes after roasting.

To roast an unstuffed turkey at 325°, estimate:

2 ¾ to 3 hours for an 8 to 12-lb. bird

3 to 3 ¾ hours for a 12 to 14-lb. bird

3 ¾ to 4 ¼ hours for a 14 to 18-lb. bird

4 ¼ to 4 ½ hours for an 18 to 20-lb. bird

4 ½ to 5 hours for a 20 to 24-lb. bird

5 to 5 ¼ hours for a 24 to 30-lb. bird

For additional information on roasting turkey, visit www.eatturkey.com.

Cranberry-Pear Chutney

Fresh ginger and spices give this cranberry sauce an interesting complexity while fresh pear tempers the tartness of cranberries. If you would like to have extra chutney on hand to perk up turkey leftovers and sandwiches, make a double batch.

To make ahead: The chutney will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

1 ripe Bartlett pear, peeled, cored and diced

2/3 cup water

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper

2 2-inch x 3/4-inch strips orange zest

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often until cranberries burst and chutney has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool and discard orange zest. Serves eight (2 cups).

Per serving: 78 calories, 0g protein, 20g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 7mg sodium.

Best-Ever Thanksgiving Dessert

Maple-Walnut Apple Tart Tatin

A tart tatin is a classic French apple tart showcasing a topping of glistening caramelized apples. I have adapted the concept to local ingredients by substituting maple syrup for caramelized sugar and taking advantage of the season’s local fabulous apples. As long as you have a good heavy ovenproof skillet (old-fashioned cast iron is perfect), this is an easy dessert to make. It is important to use Jonagold or golden delicious apples because they hold their shape well during baking. Accompany the tart with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

To make ahead: Make crust and roll it out up to 1 week ahead. Place on a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, then foil and store it in the freezer.

Crust:

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

5 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/3 cup ice water

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp. lemon juice or white vinegar

Maple-Apple Topping:

1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick), softened

1/2 cup grade A amber pure maple syrup

2 lb. Jonagold or golden delicious apples (4 medium-large) peeled, cored and quartered

1/2 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

To prepare crust: Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few large pieces. Add oil and stir with a fork to blend. Mix water, egg yolk and lemon juice (or vinegar) in a measuring cup. Add just enough of the egg yolk mixture to flour mixture, stirring with a fork, until dough clumps together. (Add a little water if dough seems too dry.) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times. Form dough into a ball, then flatter into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Line a baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper or wax paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a circle, slightly less than 1/4-inch thick. Using sharp knife, trim to a 10 1/2-inch circle. (Diameter of the crust should be about the same diameter as the top of the skillet used to cook the apples.) Roll crust back over rolling pin and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Cover pastry with plastic wrap and freeze until solid, at least 20 minutes.

To prepare topping and bake tart: Preheat oven 425°. Smear butter over bottom and partway up sides of a 10-inch oven-proof skillet. Pour in maple syrup and tilt to coat bottom evenly. Arrange apples snugly, rounded sides down, over the maple syrup. Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook about 10 to 20 minutes. The maple syrup should begin to thicken and darken slightly. Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle in cranberries and walnuts, letting some of them fall through the crevasses to the base of the skillet. Carefully ease frozen crust over fruit.

Place skillet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F and bake until crust is golden brown, 15 to 25 minutes. Immediately, protect hands with oven mitts and invert tart onto a heatproof serving platter. Replace any pieces of fruit or walnuts that cling to the skillet and spoon syrup in skillet over apples. Let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves eight.

Per serving: 389 calories, 4g protein, 50g carbohydrates, 4g fiber, 20g total fat, 9g saturated fat, 59mg cholesterol, 78mg sodium.