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Dry Brined Roast Turkey with Brown Butter, Rosemary, Gewürztraminer Gravy

Dry Brined Roast Turkey with Brown Butter, Rosemary, Gewürztraminer Gravy

Chef Christine Cushing
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 564 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the turkey

  • 1 whole turkey 12-14 lb
  • 2 ½ tbsp Kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper  
  • sprigs rosemary
  • sprigs thyme
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • olive oil
  • lemon zest from 1 lemon: keep juice for sauce
  • 7 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 stalks celery cut in half
  • 1 onion peeled and quartered
  • 2 carrots peeled
  • 1 lemon quartered
  • 7 whole sage leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup Gewürztraminer dry white wine
  • 1 cup water

For the sauce

  • 2 cup turkey broth and pan drippings and extra chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 ½ tbsp flour
  • 1 cup Gewürztraminer dry white wine
  • 2 sprigs rosemary smashed to release oils
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions
 

For the turkey:

  • 24 hours prior to roasting, remove giblets and turkey neck from turkey cavity. Save these to use in the roasting pan for stock.
  • Combine the kosher salt and ground pepper together and blend. With bird in roasting pan, preferably on a rack, sprinkle inside of turkey cavity with 2 tsp. (10ml) of mixture. Sprinkle another 2 tsp. (10ml) over legs and wings, making sure to sprinkle from a height to ensure light dusting. Lastly sprinkle the remainder of salt mixture evenly over breast area with a light dusting. Transfer to fridge and let brine uncovered for 16-24 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • The following day, remove turkey from fridge. DO NOT rinse or skin will not crisp up. Stuff cavity with several sprigs of fresh herbs and 2 cloves of garlic.
  • Drizzle with olive oil for sheen over entire surface of turkey and sprinkle with finely chopped rosemary and finely grated lemon zest. Add some mirepoix, quartered lemon and herbs to roasting pan, pour wine and some water around turkey and add the 2 other garlic cloves and roast, breast side up, at 350°F, until thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast reads 170°F, approximately 1.5-2 hours. Note that time can vary.  Remove, tent and let rest for 45 minutes.

For the sauce:

  • Remove the turkey and place onto a cutting board and let rest 45 minutes. While turkey is resting, drain out pan drippings into a fat separator and discard most of the fat.
  • Brown butter over medium heat until just noisette, then add the flour and whisk till smooth. Cook out a few minutes. Remove from heat and add the wine, reserved drippings, and extra stock. Whisk until smooth. Add smashed garlic and whole rosemary and cook down to reduce for about 40 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened. Adjust thickness with extra stock. Strain to remove herbs. Pour into a gravy boat or coffee thermos, if desired to keep warm.
  • Slice turkey and serve with gravy.

Notes

Dry brining your turkey is the ideal technique to maximize flavour and juiciness in your roasted turkey and doesn’t require as much room in fridge as a wet brine would. Make sure to allow at least 24 hours for the bird to brine in a roasting pan uncovered in the fridge. Do not rinse the turkey before roasting or the skin will not crisp during roasting. Kosher salt is the only variety that will brine the bird properly.

Nutrition

Calories: 564kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 78gFat: 26gSodium: 1419mg
Keyword Whole Turkey
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