Eric’s Turkey Recipe

Before we get started… You’re welcome

I LOVE to cook! My wife will tell you that I’m not the greatest at cleaning up afterwards though 🥴. The recipes that I cook are as delicious as they are simple.

The Background: Breast meat (usually the most exposed part of a turkey in an oven) is dry and overcooked and/or the thighs (usually the least exposed) are moist or undercooked. Most recipes require several hours of cooking to ensure that the heat gets through all of the meat and nobody gets sick.

The Science: Turkey meat needs to be cooked to 165° F (74° C). The problem is that a turkey is all tied up like a ball. The inside of the turkey will cook MUCH SLOWER than the outside.

The Solution:

Step 1 - Buy the Bird.

The rule of thumb is 1 lb. for every person you’re feeding. 

Step 2 - Thaw the bird in time!

Don’t rush this process - many people get sick every year because they forget to thaw the turkey in time and set it out on the counter to thaw it faster. DON’T DO THIS! Bacteria will grow on the warm exterior while the interior is still thawing. Here’s the thaw chart that I use - gathered from the Butterball website:

I prefer thawing in the refrigerator.

I thaw breast side up, in an unopened wrapper on a tray in the fridge (40 degrees F or below) - but I put the turkey in brine for the last day of scheduled thawing (or longer). We usually have a bunch of people over, so we have a 20 lb. bird - which means I’m thawing for six days. And I thaw it in brine for the sixth day. 

Step 3 - Brine

Here is the brine recipe that I use:

• 2 Gal water

• 1 C Salt

• 1/4 C brown sugar for sweetness

• Seasoned salt 

• Peppercorns 

• Minced garlic ‘

• Thyme 

• Molasses 

(OPTIONAL: Whole Foods sells a pre-mixed brine kit that is wonderful)

Stir in all ingredients and boil until salt is dissolved. Once the salt is dissolved, allow the brine to cool completely. YOU DO NOT WANT THE BOILING WATER TO COOK THE TURKEY!

If you don’t brine it for the entire last day (or if you’re using cold water thawing) soak the bird in brine in the fridge for at least 8 hours. Finding a container large enough to handle a big bird can be tough - plan ahead. I use a soft walled travel cooler lined with a garbage bag. I put the bird inside, then pour the COOLED brine on top. Then tie up the bag and put the whole thing in the fridge. For smaller birds you can use a stock pot or tamale pot. 

Step 4 - Spatchcock:

Take the bird out of the brine and pat dry. This is the magic part. Here’s a tutorial and explanation of why a spatchcocked turkey is the best turkey you’ll ever have. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDSkekArbeo 

Step 5 - Wet Rub - YUM

Apply Wet Rub (Optional) - here is my favorite rub recipe

• 2 cup mayo

• 1/4 cup garlic

• 1/2 up rosemary

• 1/4 cup sage

• 1/4 cup tyme

Step 6 - The Night Before

Add butter and thyme mixture UNDER the turkey skin

Ladle boiling water over every inch of turkey skin to render fat and tighten skin - it’s fun to watch the skin shrink up and conform to the muscles below. 

Add butter and thyme mixture to outside of turkey skin

Leave the water in the pan - Did I mention that you’ll need a pretty large pan for this? If not, let me mention, you will need a large pan for this!

Let the turkey rest uncovered in the refrigerator until cook time

Step 7 - Prepping The Gravy

While the turkey is resting overnight, you can start to prepare the gravy. To make a good gravy you'll need to start with a turkey stock. Here’s how to make turkey stock.

Roast the neck, back, unused fat, and giblets in the oven, in a pan at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and move all turkey parts to a large pot

Deglaze pan with Pinot Grigio (or other dry white wine) for a few minutes and pour all into the large pot

Add carrots, celery, onions, dry thyme, bay leaf and cold water to pot and bring to boil

After 5 minutes of rolling boil, ladle out the froth and save for making the gravy

Reduce heat and simmer overnight

ROUX

To make a LOT of gravy, have a lot of roux. Half this recipe if making less gravy - This is intended for dinner and leftovers for about 10-15 people

Melt 1.5 sticks of butter in a sauce pot

Whisk in 10-15 large spoonfuls of flour (do not use gluten free flour - I’ve tried this... it doesn’t work well)

Add more flour as needed to achieve an almost gravy-like consistency. If it is the consistency of dry peanut butter, add more butter. If it is like water, add more flour.

Whisk/Stir continuously for about 15 minutes. 

Roux will darken and take on the odor that is almost nutty

Remove from heat and continue to stir for another 2 minutes

Place Roux in a storage container and put in the fridge for tomorrow. 

Roux Tutorial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPX6kjN7Yu0https://youtu.be/LHAgkyPlz1I?t=45 

Step 8 - Turkey Day... The Main Attraction: 

Roasting Your Spatchcocked Turkey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cook Turkey for about 1.5 - 2 hours (Internal Breast temperature at 150) - I use a digital thermometer that has 4 probes. I probe both breasts and both thighs. Here’s the probe that I use: https://amzn.to/3UYUsZ7 - I like this one because it’s accurate and it has a bluetooth connection to my phone - I set a desired temperature for each of the probes and when the meat reaches the desired temp, I get an alarm on my phone!

Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 45-60 minutes. I usually keep the probes in the meat and watch the temps continue to climb for about 30 minutes. Thermodynamics is fun!

While the bird is resting, start making the gravy! 

Step 9 - The real star of the show... Turkey Gravy

Tutorial for the best turkey gravy - bonus watch Martha Stewart ask her guest for their recipe and then not listen. https://youtu.be/LHAgkyPlz1I 

Step 10 - Be a Carving Hero

After the bird has come to rest out of the oven for 45-60 minutes

Separate breast tender from breast meat

Slice breast skin side down - this improves the likelihood of keeping the skin with the breast.

Slice horizontally across the breast, not along the length of the breast

Slice Tenders diagonally

Remover hip bone from thigh meat

Slice thigh meat in half (two separate muscles)

Step 11 - Let me know how wonderful your turkey was this year!