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Dry-brined big bird – paleo recipe
Stav Kogan

Dry-brined big bird

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Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 10- to 20-pound (5–9 kg) fresh or frozen whole turkey, neck and giblets removed from cavity
  • 2–4 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 2 small onions, quartered
  • 2 medium apples, peeled and cored, cut into medium slices
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme
  • ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley
  • ½ cup (110 g) butter
  • 1 cup (250 mL) water
  • 1 cup (250 mL) white wine
  • 72 hours before cooking
  • 24 hours before cooking
  • A few hours before cooking
  • Rub as much of the bird with butter as possible (under skin and onto thighs). Sprinkle remaining black pepper on exterior of bird and place in 450°F (235°C) oven for about 30 minutes.

Method
 

  1. Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry. Rub with kosher salt including into cavities where possible.
  2. Wrap the bird in a large plastic bag and place in the refrigerator, taking time to massage salt into skin on day 2.
  3. Turn the turkey over in the refrigerator.
  4. Remove the turkey from the bag and pat dry.
  5. Place in a roasting pan and allow to come to room temperature.
  6. Sprinkle half the black pepper into chest cavity adding half the onions/apples and all of the thyme/parsley. The remaining onions/apples can go in the neck cavity. Tie the legs up with twine and tuck the neck skin under.
  7. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350°F (175°C).
  8. Cover breast and wings with one big sheet of foil.
  9. Pour water and white wine into roasting pan and return to oven for about 2–3 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the breast reads 170°F (75°C). Good rule of thumb is to cook 15 minutes per pound of bird.

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