BRINED TURKEY WITH POTATO & PARMESAN STUFFING
MAKES 12 SERVINGS HANDS-ON TIME 1 HOUR TOTAL TIME 14 HOURS
Brined Turkey
1 cup table salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves
1 whole turkey (6 to 7 kg) Potato & Parmesan Stuffing
675 g yellow-fleshed or russet potatoes, scrubbed
2 cups cubed stale bread
2 cups 2% milk
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp nutmeg
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
1 egg salt and pepper
2 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth
3/4 cup cubed salted butter, softened, divided
Brined Turkey In large saucepan, stir salt, sugar and pepper into 8 cups boiling water until salt and sugar have dissolved. Add thyme, garlic and bay leaves. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.
In large stockpot (big enough to hold whole turkey) or in very large resealable plastic bag placed in cooler or bucket, combine brining liquid and 20 cups ice water. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Remove neck and giblets from turkey (discard or reserve for another use). Place turkey in brine, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours. Potato & Parmesan Stuffing Preheat oven to 400°F. Prick potatoes several times with fork and place directly on centre oven rack. Cook until potatoes are tender, turning occasionally during cooking time, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, peel then coarsely mash potatoes.
Meanwhile, in bowl, combine bread and milk. Let stand 30 minutes; drain excess liquid. Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 15 minutes. In large bowl, combine onion, mashed potatoes, drained bread, Parmesan, parsley, nutmeg, rosemary and egg. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
Preheat oven to 180°F. Pour broth in bottom of large roasting pan fitted with rack. Add 1/4 cup of the butter; set aside. Remove turkey from brine, rinse and pat dry with paper towels; discard brine. Using fingers, gently loosen skin from thighs and breast, being careful not to tear it. Spread remaining butter between skin and meat of turkey and press gently to distribute evenly. Loosely pack cavity of turkey with reserved stuffing. Tie legs together with butcher’s twine. Secure wings on back using small skewers, if desired. Place turkey, breast side up, on greased rack in reserved roasting pan. Roast, brushing turkey with cooking juices every 30 minutes (cover turkey with foil if browning too quickly), until instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast reads 180°F and juices run clear when pierced with fork, about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Transfer turkey to serving platter. Loosely tent turkey with foil; let stand 20 minutes before carving. Serve with cooking juices.
PER SERVING about 395 cal, 38 g pro, 17 g total fat (8 g sat. fat), 22 g carb (2 g dietary fibre, 4 g sugar), 150 mg chol, 500 mg sodium, 2.3 mg iron.