Golden Roasted Turkey

Golden Roasted Turkey

Serves 10 to 12

This deliciously moist roasted turkey is surprising in its ease of preparation. Exactly what you remember from Thanksgiving dinners of old only better. While you can prepare this turkey recipe without the brining step, we highly recommend you give it a try as this process produces wonderfully succulent meat. When set on the table, this beautiful bird is guaranteed to elicit oohs and aahs.

Ingredients

1 (14- to 15- pound) turkey
Salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
2 yellow onions, roughly chopped
2 cups gluten-free chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
Pepper to taste

Method

Brine the turkey overnight (at least 12 hours) by submerging it completely in a salt water solution made from a ratio of 1/2 cup salt to one gallon water. (Alternately, you may brine the turkey for 4 hours using a ratio of 1 cup salt to one gallon water). Rinse the turkey well and pat it dry.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix thyme, carrots, celery and onions together in a small bowl. Stuff turkey cavity with the vegetable mixture and scatter any remaining vegetables around the bottom of a roasting pan. Pour broth and wine over vegetables in pan.

Arrange a rack over the vegetables in the pan and arrange the turkey on top of it, breast side down. (You may use either a flat rack or a V-rack). Brush half of the melted butter all over the turkey, then season with pepper. Reserve remaining butter for later use.

Roast turkey for two hours, breast side down, basting once. Remove from oven and turn turkey breast side up, being careful not to pierce the skin. Brush turkey with the remaining butter and season again with pepper.

Return turkey to oven and continue roasting until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F, about 2 hours more.

Set turkey aside to let rest for 30 minutes, then carve and serve, drizzled with the pan drippings.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 8oz/225g-wt.): 330 calories (150 from fat), 17g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 115mg cholesterol, 650mg sodium, 4g total carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 37g protein

Note: We've provided special diet and nutritional information for educational purposes. But remember — we're cooks, not doctors! You should follow the advice of your health-care provider. And since product formulations change, check product labels for the most recent ingredient information.