Roasted Turkey

From Wine Spectator November 30, 2001

Serves 10 -12

• 1 fresh, free range organic turkey, 12 - 14 pounds
• 1 pound kosher salt (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 3 medium onions, cut into large wedges
• 2 carrots, cut into chunks
• 3 celery stalks, cut into chunks
• 6 thyme sprigs
• 6 parsley sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 pound butter, melted

Remove the giblets, neck and tail piece from the turkey and reserve them for gravy, if desired. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. In a large pot or 5-gallon bucket, stir the salt and 1 gallon of cold water together. Carefully set the turkey into the water and cover the bird by 2 to 3 inches with cold water. Refrigerate or set the turkey in a very cold (32 to 40 degrees) place for 8 to 12 hours (refer to our brining technique for more info).

Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse well and pat dry with paper towels. Let it sit out at room temperature for an hour, or an hour and a half at most.
Position a rack in the bottom of your oven and preheat to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss together the onion, carrots, celery, thyme, parsley, bay leaf and half the butter. Pack the body and neck cavities loosely with this mixture. Truss the legs together with kitchen twine and secure the neck flap to the back with a couple of trussing pins or sturdy toothpicks.

Rub the turkey with half of the remaining butter and set the bird on its side on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast it for 15 minutes, then turn it onto its other side and roast for 15 minutes more. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees. Soak a large piece of cheesecloth (enough to cover the turkey breast) in the remaining butter, turn the turkey breast-side up and place the cheesecloth over the breast. These steps contribute to making a crisp, golden skin.

Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan. Continue roasting, basting with pan juices every 15 to 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the breast registers 160 degrees. Check a meaty section of the thigh as well; it should also register 160 degrees. If the breast is cooking too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil. Total roasting time should be about 2 1/2 hours. Let the turkey rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Reserve the vegetables in the cavity for vegetable soup.

Wines

Choosing a wine for a turkey dinner can be quite a challenge due to the wide variety of flavors served with the meal. For red wines, stick to fruit-flavored bottles (especially if there’s fruit in your stuffing or side dish) such as many of the moderately priced such as an American Pinot Noir, Beaujolais or Chianti. A selection from France’s Rhône Valley may work as well as its spice and cherry flavors will compliment the overall character of the meal. You’ll want to avoid highly tannic wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon.

For white wines, my favorite is Reisling. It gives you nice fruit flavors, acidity, and is not too dry so you can still enjoy it with the candied yams. Also look for Gewürztraminer for it typically has a good foundation of spice, or take another approach and reach for either a Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc. Both offer clean, crisp, refreshing flavors. Avoid at all costs an oaky Chardonnay. Save this for the next time you serve a cream or butter sauce as its best with fatty meals.