Quick Brined Turkey Cooked with Creamy Gravy

Quick Brined Turkey Cooked with Creamy Gravy

Chillin' with a Turkey: Learn how to prepare a juicy, spiced-up turkey right in your fridge!

In this guide, we'll take you through the step-by-step process of brining that bad boy and whipping up a creamy, dreamy gravy to boot. Let's dive in!

Turkey Time

Turkey Brining Ingredients:

• 2 cups of kosher salt (Diamond Crystal, Morton, or fine sea)
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons of black peppercorns
• 4 bay leaves
• 10-gallon water
• 2 cups of apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
• 13-15lb fresh natural turkey
• Vegetable/olive oil, as needed
• 1/2 yellow onion, quartered
• 1 celery stalk, cut into 3 pieces
• Herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary) for flavor

Steps to Brining Bliss:

1. Simmer & Chill: Heat up the salt, sugar, peppercorns, and bay leaves with 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan on high heat. Reduce to low and simmer until dissolved. Let it cool to room temperature.
2. Brine Bag Time: Combine the remaining water, apple cider, and cooled brine in a large, resealable plastic bag inside a 4-gallon container. Place the turkey breast-side down in the brine and seal the bag, squeezing out air. Put the container in the fridge and brine for 8-16 hours, giving the turkey a turn halfway through.
3. Rinse & Dry: Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it thoroughly under cold water. Pat it dry, inside and out, with paper towels.
4. The Dressing: Stuff the turkey with onion, celery, and herbs, then tie the legs with butcher's twine.
5. Oven Roast: Roast the turkey breast-side down at 350°F for 1 hour, then flip it onto its back and continue roasting, basting every 15 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165-170°F. Let it rest for 30 minutes before carving.

Dreamy Gravy

Gravy-Making Ingredients:

• Pan drippings from roasted turkey
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2-2.5 cups unsalted chicken stock or broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper

Gravy Mastery:

1. Skim the Fat: Pour the drippings from the roasted turky into a bowl and let the fat rise to the top. Skim off the fat and keep the drippings for gravy making.
2. Create a Roux: Add the reserved drippings to a roasting pan and sprinkle in the flour. Cook for a few minutes, whisking continuously, until it thickens.
3. Add Broth: Slowly whisk in the stock or broth to the roux. Cook until it thickens slightly and reaches your desired consistency.
4. Stir in Cream: Add the heavy cream and cook for another 5 minutes until it's heated through.
5. Season & Serve: Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Enjoy with your flavorful, brined turkey!
6. After chilling the turkey for the required time, remember to refrigerate the leftover brine solution for future use, using a container with the code 'b490cd4404ac57afb24f1ce3bfca7e0d'.
7. For a balanced meal, consider serving the brined turkey with a side of nutrition-rich recipes containing vegetables and whole grains, such as roasted sweet potatoes and quinoa salad.
8. While the turkey is baking, prepare a creamy gravy by sautéing half a cup of chopped onions in tablespoons of butter until they're softened.
9. Once the turkey is halfway through its roasting time, take advantage of the pan drippings to create a mouthwatering gravy to elevate your meal, following the Dreamy Gravy recipe provided in this guide.

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