Bay Lemon Brined Turkey Recipes

Steps:

• Combine all brine ingredients in a container or pot large enough to hold the turkey. Make sure all the sugar and salt have been fully dissolved. Add the turkey and refrigerate about 6 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove turkey from brine and transfer to a roasting pan with a rack. Stuff turkey with the lemon halves, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks used in the brine. Cook turkey for about 3 1/2 hours, basting every 40 minutes or so. If any part of the turkey gets too brown towards the end of cooking, shield with pieces of tin foil. When the turkey is done, juices should run clear from the breast and the legs should pull away from the bird easily. Remove from the heat and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except for turkey in a very large container or pot (big enough for ingredients + turkey). Make all sugar and salt are completely dissolved in water.
• Add turkey, cover and refrigerate 6 hours to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove turkey from brine and rinse in cool running water. Transfer to a roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with lemon halves, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks from the brine (discard the rest). Roast turkey, basting every 40 minutes, until juices run clear (cooking time will vary depending on size of bird). Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Steps:

• Rub salt onto your turkey, and place remaining salt, lemons, oranges, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and pepper into a large pot. Place the turkey in the pot, and fill with water. Refrigerate overnight. Discard brine after removing turkey.

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine butter and 3 tablespoons salt. Lightly pound bay leaves and two-thirds of rosemary in a mortar-and-pestle (or roll over a few times in a sealed plastic bag with a rolling pin), keeping leaves intact.
• Using your fingers, separate turkey skin from breasts and legs. Rub half of butter mixture under skin. Tuck bay-rosemary mixture and lemon zest evenly under skin. Season both cavities with salt; stuff with all but 3 sprigs thyme and all but 3 sprigs remaining rosemary. Rub outside of turkey all over with remaining butter mixture. Transfer turkey to a roasting pan lined with a rack and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 24 hours and up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature 1 to 2 hours before roasting.
• Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack in lower third. Prick whole lemons all over with the tines of a fork. Stuff 2 lemons into larger cavity, along with 1 head garlic; tie legs with kitchen twine. Stuff remaining lemon into neck cavity. Pour 1 cup stock into pan. Add remaining 1 head garlic.
• Roast turkey 1 hour. Continue roasting, basting every 20 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh (near but not touching bone) registers 165°, 1 hour, 30 minutes to 2 hours, 30 minutes more, depending on size. If pan becomes dry during roasting, add more stock, 1/2 cup at a time. Transfer turkey to a carving board or platter; let stand at least 20 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, remove rack from pan. Tilt pan and skim excess fat from drippings (or use a fat separator). Place pan across 2 burners. Carefully remove lemon from neck cavity and squeeze 1 to 2 tablespoons juice into drippings; squeeze cloves of roasted garlic from pan into drippings. Add remaining rosemary and thyme sprigs. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups stock; boil until reduced by half and thickened slightly, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and more squeezes of lemon juice to taste. Strain gravy through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Carve turkey and serve with gravy.