Riesling and Warm Spices Brined Turkey with Riesling Gravy
By Donna Dant
The secret to a moist turkey is soaking it in a brining solution overnight before cooking. The aromatics added to the brine infused the turkey with subtle flavors of herbs and warm spices.
- Course: Entrée
INGREDIENTS
- (4 cups) and 6 quarts (24 cups) water
- (4 cups) plus 2 tablespoons water
- Bay leaves
- caraway seeds
- celery stalks
- cloves of garlic
- corn starch
- dried thyme
- dry Riesling wine
- For the brine:
- fresh whole turkey
- golden brown sugar
- ground mustard
- juniper berries
- onion powder
- Rosemary
- Sea salt
- unsalted butter
- Whole black peppercorns
- Yellow onion
DIRECTIONS
- In a 2 quart saucepan, add all of the brine ingredients except 6 quarts (24 cups) water and 1 1/2 cups dry Riesling wine. Bring the mixture to a boil, remove from heat, and set aside.
- In a 5 gallon stockpot or bucket, place the turkey neck side down and pour the brine over the turkey followed by the 1 1/2 cups Riesling wine and 6 quarts (24 cups) water. Refrigerate overnight or in a large cooler with ice for 12 to 15 hours.
- Line the bottom of the roasting pan with the onions and celery stalks. Add the butter and fill the pan with 1 quart (4 cups). Place the roasting rack on top of the pan.
- Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse, and place the turkey onto the roasting rack breast side up. Tuck the wings under the turkey.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cover the whole turkey with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325°F and cook until internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F. Tip: For every pound of turkey, add 13 minutes to your cooking time. Remove the foil during the last 30 minutes of cooking to make it brown evenly.
- Remove the roasting pan from the oven, transfer the turkey to a serving platter, and cover with aluminum foil. Let the turkey rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the roasting pan rack, onions and celery. Strain the pan juices through a sieve into a 2 quart saucepan and add 1 cup of dry Riesling wine. Cook the sauce on medium-high heat until boiling. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is reduced by 1/2 cup.
- Whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce. Add more cornstarch mixture as needed to get the desired consistency. Yields approximately 4 cups of gravy.
