Turkey
LFG
Defrosting
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Buy turkey at least 1 week before Thanksgiving and store in the freezer.
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Move from freezer to fridge for the duration of the defrosting period, which is 1 day per 4 lbs of turkey plus an extra day (ex. a 17 lb bird calls for 4.6 + 1 = 5.6 days). Do not let a defrosted turkey remain in the fridge for longer than 4 days.
Brine
Materials
- 5 gallon paint bucket with lid
- parchment paper
- cold water (2 gallons)
- ice (0.5 gallon)
- salt, kosher (4 cups)
- brown sugar (2 cups)
- peppercorns (0.5 cup)
- shallots, roughly chopped (4)
- lemons (2)
- celery, roughly diced (1 cup)
- bay leaves (5-6)
Procedure
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Add 2 gallons of water to a stock pot and put the heat on high.
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Add all the salt and all the brown sugar sugar. Stir the mixture until dissolved.
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Use a peeler to remove the yellow from the lemons. Add peels to the mixture.
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Add all the peppercorns, shallots, celery, and bay leaves. Let the mixture come up to a simmer.
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Turn off the heat. Dump the mixture into the 5 gallon bucket and add all the ice.
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Leave the bucket in the fridge until the brine cools down.
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Unwrap the thawed turkey and lower into the bucket. Top it off with cold water until the level reaches 2 inches from the top. Cover the top of the bird with parchment paper, allowing it to moisten and create a seal flush with the brine.
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Cover the bucket with a lid. Leave in the fridge for 24 hours.
Trussing
Materials
- herb butter (4 sticks)
- salt and pepper, mixed (excess)
Procedure
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Remove the turkey from the brine. Rinse off in cold water.
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Remove the neck from the cavity. It should feel like a long piece of meat detached and sitting freely in the cavity. Rinse in cold water, dry, and set aside wrapped in the fridge.
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Find the bag of organs. It should be near the neck area. Discard the heart and the kidneys. Gently rinse the dark colored liver (should be 4 total lobes). Cut away any scraggly white tissue. Pat dry and place in the fridge in a sealed container.
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Use a knife to remove the tailbone and discard.
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Use a knife to cut around the wishbone.