Brining and Cooking the Perfect Turkey with Delicious Gravy

Recipe View **Prepare the Brine (15 minutes + 36 hours chilling):** In a large stockpot, combine 4 cartons of chicken broth, kosher salt, savory, thyme, sage, and rosemary. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 7 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Let the brine cool completely. Transfer the cooled brine to a 5-gallon food-grade bucket or brining bag. Stir in the apple juice and 1 gallon of water. Submerge the turkey, breast-side down, ensuring it's fully covered with liquid. Add more water if needed. Refrigerate for at least 36 hours.

Recipe View **Preheat Oven (10 minutes):** Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Recipe View **Prepare Turkey for Roasting (20 minutes):** Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the used brine. Rinse the turkey thoroughly and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, breast-side down, on a roasting rack set inside a roasting pan. Stuff the cavity with 2 chopped onions, 4 chopped celery stalks, and 4 chopped carrots. Scatter the remaining 2 chopped onions, 4 chopped celery stalks, and 4 chopped carrots around the turkey in the roasting pan. Brush the turkey with 1/4 cup of melted butter, and pour the white cooking wine and 2 cartons of chicken broth into the roasting pan.

Recipe View **Roast Turkey (3 hours):** Roast the turkey in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then baste with the pan juices. If the skin starts to brown too quickly, create a tent with aluminum foil over the turkey. Continue roasting for another 1 1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Turn the turkey breast-side up, brush with the remaining 1/4 cup of melted butter, and continue roasting for approximately 1 hour, basting every 30 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) registers 180 degrees F (80 degrees C). The total roasting time should be around 3 hours.

Recipe View **Make the Gravy (20 minutes):** Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest while you prepare the gravy. Strain the pan drippings through a fine-mesh sieve into a large saucepan. Bring the drippings to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups of water, 1 carton of turkey broth, and cornstarch until smooth. Whisk this mixture into the hot pan drippings and cook until thickened, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Allow the gravy to cool slightly; it will thicken as it cools. If desired, use a gravy separator to remove excess fat. Serve the turkey with the delicious homemade gravy.