November 11, 2024

Citrus-brined Thanksgiving Turkey by Matt Burgess

By Online Provenance Butcher
Citrus-brined Thanksgiving Turkey by Matt Burgess

Turkey 

4.5 kg. free-range turkey, giblets discarded and neck reserved for the gravy

60g sea salt

100g dark brown sugar

2 oranges juice and zest

2 lemons juice and zest

1 block salted butter

 

Turkey Glaze

4 tbsn salted butter

1 tbsn sherry vinegar

2 tbsn honey

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 sprig of rosemary, leaves only

2 garlic cloves, grated fine

1 orange peel

1 lemon peel 

Sage, maple citrus butter

50g salted butter

Few shavings of lemon peel

Few shavings of orange peel

1 orange worth of segments

½ tsp cinnamon

1 tbsn maple syrup

1 tsp salt

6-8 leaves fresh sage

 

Method

  • Prepare 12 hours to two days before roasting the turkey by placing the salt, lemon juice, zest, orange juice, zest brown sugar in a small bowl and work together with a spoon until incorporated.
  • Place the turkey on a wire rack set in a baking tray and pat it dry with paper towels.
  • Massage the salt mixture all over outside of the turkey as well as inside the cavity. Rub the mixture into the skin and ensuring it goes into every crevice.
  • Place the turkey in the fridge, uncovered.
  • When ready to roast, remove the turkey from rack and wash baking tray, Line baking tray with foil and set rack back inside. Place the turkey, breast side up, on rack and tuck wings underneath. Let turkey sit at room temperature 2–3 hours before roasting
  • Pre-heat oven to 200deg C and take the butter out of the fridge to bring to room temperature.
  • Carefully, using your fingers, loosen turkey skin on breast.
  • Work in 4 tablespoons of butter under skin, spreading evenly over both breasts, this is a slow and steady job to ensure the skin doesn't tear. Smear the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter on the outside of the turkey.
  • Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, until skin is mostly golden brown all over.
  • Make the glaze by placing all the ingredients into a sauce pan and melting them together.
  • After the initial 30 minutes, brush the glaze over the turkey.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 160deg C and continue to roast turkey, brushing with glaze every 30 minutes until an internal temperature registers 60deg C in the thickest part of the breast with a meat probe.
  • Skin should be deep golden brown, shiny, and crisp.
  • Transfer turkey to a cutting board and let rest at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour before carving.
  • Make the Citrus butter by melting the butter, pour in the maple, sage, cinnamon, salt and sage leaves. Stir until incorporated. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat through
  • Once rested, carve the turkey and pour over the sage, maple citrus butter