For Thanksgiving, we have found that a self-brined turkey tastes best for eating but the drippings are salty and make the gravy too salty. Our solution is to cook an un-brined turkey before Thanksgiving and save those drippings to combine with the brined turkey.
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Ingredients
1 20 lb. turkey, thawed and rinsed. Discard organs but keep the neck
1 cup brandy
1 cup dark or golden rum
3 stalks fresh sage, chopped roughly
4 stems fresh thyme, chopped roughly
3 stems fresh rosemary, chopped roughly
4 Tbsp. black pepper, crushed in a mortar and pestle
3 stalks celery, chopped roughly (optional)
5 sprigs parsley, chopped roughly (optional)
2 onions, chopped into quarters
Directions
- Move the rack in the oven to the second lowest slot to make room for the turkey
- Preheat the oven to 500º F
- Prepare the roasting rack by spraying with cooking spray (like Pam)
- Rinse the turkey and place it thigh side up on the roasting rack
- Add the rum, brandy, onions, herbs and spices to the turkey cavity
- Cook uncovered at 500º F for 30 minutes
- Reduce the heat to 325º F and flip the turkey over
- Cover the turkey with foil, removing it for the last 60 minutes
- Cook until the temperature reaches 165º F internal at the coolest spot in the turkey (about 10-12 minutes per pound)
- Let rest tented under the foil for 30 minutes before carving