Spice-cured Turkey

Total Time: 28 hrs Preparation Time: 24 hrs Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 4 cups coarse salt (or 1 cup when using a sodium enhanced turkey)
• 5 cups sugar
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut up
• 2 stalks celery, cut up
• 2 onions, cut up
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 head garlic, cut up (or 3 tbsp jarred garlic)
• 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon clove
• 2 teaspoons whole allspice
• 8 cups water
• 18 -20 lbs turkey (i used a breast and it was delicious)
• prepared stuffing (optional)
• 1 cup softened unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Recipe

• 1 to make the brine-- in a large stockpot combine first 13 ingredients and bring to boil.
• 2 remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
• 3 this can be made a day in advance.
• 4 rinse turkey and pat dry.
• 5 place in a large pot, or even a plastic tub big enough to hold turkey, but small enough to fit in your refrigerator.
• 6 add brine and enough water to cover.
• 7 cover container and allow to marinate overnight.
• 8 remove turkey from the brine and drain.
• 9 make spice butter by combining ingredients and mixing well.
• 10 preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• 11 stuff turkey (if desired).
• 12 rub turkey with spice butter and place in roasting pan.
• 13 roast for 30 minutes then reduce heat to 390 degrees.
• 14 rotate pan every 30 minutes, baste as needed until the temperature reaches 180 degrees in the thigh (or if you used a breast, 160 degrees).
• 15 if needed cover areas with foil to prevent overbrowning.
• 16 allow to rest 30 minutes before carving.
• 17 this is a very juicy turkey recipe (you may need goggles while you cut it... haha).