Happy Jamaican Jerk Thanksgiving Roast Turkey

There is nothing like cooking holiday dinner, with a house filled with music, fun friends, family and fresh cocktails. One of my favorites is the prized roast turkey. You have seen me fry them, smoke them, BBQ them and the traditional roasting of this glorious bird. One thing I have learned over the years is the secret to truly moist amazing turkey is – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BRINE. The injections and spices make this recipe over the top AMAZING!

Bring Jamaica home for this holiday!

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE BRINE:

1 whole turkey, organic pasture raised preferred   

2 quarts water

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves

1 ½ cups sea salt

½ cup pure maple syrup

6 quarts cold water

1 cup dark Jamaican rum

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

FOR THE INJECTION SAUCE:

1 cup melted butter

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup Jamaican rum

FOR THE RUB & BASTING:

½ cup (4 oz.) salted butter, at room temperature

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 scallions, sliced

2 shallots, coarsely chopped

7 garlic cloves, divided

5 thyme springs, plus 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, divided

1 ½ tbsp. kosher salt, divided

3 whole star anise

2 limes, peeled and quartered

2 small onions, peeled and quartered

2 small oranges, peeled and quartered

¾ cup chicken stock

¼ cup soy sauce

JAMAICAN JERKING MUSIC SELECTION: Shenseea- Jiggle Jiggle

PREPARATION:

To make the turkey brine:

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add 2 quarts water, bay leaves, onion powder, ground cloves, sea salt, and maple syrup. Heat for about 5 minutes or until heated through and salt is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow cooling.

Place the cooled brine in a covered container large enough to hold the turkey (a small cooler works well and is what I use). Whisk in the cold water, dark rum, and whole peppercorns. Add the turkey and make sure it's completely covered by the brine. Allow to brine overnight (for at least for 12 hours but no more than 24 hours).

Remove the turkey the next day from the brine and discard the brining liquid. Place the turkey on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet for at least 30 minutes to drain and dry. If desired, truss the bird.

To make the injection sauce:

While the turkey is drying, prepare the injection sauce by melting the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the stock and rum, remove from heat, and allow to completely cool.  After the turkey is finished drying, fill an injector with the sauce and inject it in numerous places in the breast, thighs, and drumstick areas.

Spicing and roasting the bird:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine butter, cloves, allspice, black pepper, scallions, shallots, 4 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon thyme leaves and ½ tablespoon salt in a food processor; process until a chunky compound butter forms, about 30 seconds.

Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Discard neck and giblets. Use fingers to loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub some of butter mixture under loosened skin. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey. Press remaining butter mixture onto skin; sprinkle turkey with remaining 1 tablespoon salt.

Place anise, lime, orange, onion quarters, thyme sprigs and remaining 3 garlic cloves in cavity of turkey. Secure legs with kitchen twine. Place turkey, breast side up, on rack of a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Place rack with turkey in pan. Pour broth and soy sauce in bottom of pan.

Roast in preheated oven 30 minutes. Add ½ cup water to pan, rotate turkey, and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. (Do not remove turkey from oven.” Bake until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of breast registers 160 degrees, 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest 30 minutes before carving. The dripping from this turkey for making gravy are OFF THE HOOK GOOD!  

HAPPY THANKSGIVING  

I'm thankful For YOU! 
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