I switched to Judy Rogers' Pre-salting method about two years ago. I think that the end result is better and so much easier to deal with. I roast using Barbara Kafka's high heat method (500F).

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Pre-Salting
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Judy Rogers' Zuni Cafe
method

Servings: 11 to 15

Note: This is more a technique than a recipe. It makes a bird that has concentrated turkey flavor and fine, firm flesh and that is delicious as it is. But you can add other flavors as you wish. Minced rosemary would be a nice finishing addition. Or brush the bird lightly with butter before roasting.

1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey

Kosher salt

1. Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons).

2. Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted.

3. Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side.

4. Place the turkey in a 2 1/2 -gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day.

5. Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.

6. On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts).

8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2 3/4 hours total roasting.

9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve.

Notes:

This same method can be used for chicken, chicken pieces, pork roasts, ribs, chops, etc..

With the smaller cuts just pre-salt 4 or five hours in advance. Even this short period of presalting makes an amazing difference.

Don't cover, just refrigerate and then remove from the fridge in time for the meat to come to room temperature before cooking.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Simple Roast Turkey - High Heat Method
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Source:Barbara Kafka
Roasting A Simple Art

Many Thanksgivings at my house have proved the high-heat method to be ideal. A fifteen-pound turkey at room temperature takes two hours to roast. However, it may take several hours for the turkey to reach room temperature. While the turkey is sitting out, cover it loosely with a towel, otherwise the skin will dry out. I prefer a fifteen-pound turkey as it isn't too heavy for me to handle. It usually gives lots of good leftovers and is generally available.

There are certain things to think of to ensure success before beginning: Remove the giblet bag from the interior of the bird. Remove the wing tips. Put everything except the livers into a pot and start Basic Fowl Giblet Gravy. By the time the bird is roasted, the gravy will be done. Use the liver in the dressing/stuffing or store in the freezer, covered with milk. Make sure there is a pan big enough for the turkey without it's touching the sides of the pan. Do not truss.

Consider whether the bird should be stuffed or the stuffing served as dressing baked separately. If stuffing, think in terms of twelve cups of stuffing for a 15 pound bird, which will allow the big cavity to be stuffed and some more stuffing to be crammed under the skin flap at the neck. I seldom stuff because there are real food safety questions about the bird and its stuffing sitting out at room temperature.

The oven must be very clean before roasting, or cooking at this high temperature will cause unpleasant smoke. In any case, there will be some smoke, so turn on the fan or open a window. Don't put the oven rack too high or the skin on the breast will get over cooked. For a twenty-pound turkey, the rack should be in the lowest position. Always put the turkey in legs first - dark meat takes longer to cook and the rear of the oven is the hottest area.

If the top skin seems to be getting too dark, slip a doubled piece of aluminum foil on top of it. Don't move the turkey. Use an oven mitt to protect hands and forearms. Remove the foil with the same oven mitt ten minutes before the turkey comes out.

Large turkeys are most easily removed from the pan by holding them with two pot holders, which will need to be washed. After the meal, get out a large stockpot to boil up the carcass and leftover bones for turkey soup and stock.

15 pound turkey, thawed, if necessary and at room temperature, wing tips removed, reserving giblets and neck for gravy, liver for stuffing.

Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 cup water or basic turkey/chicken stock

Place oven rack on second level from bottom of oven. Heat oven to 500°F.

Rinse the turkey inside and out. Pat dry. Sprinkle the outside with pepper. If stuffing, stuff cavity and crop, securing openings with long metal skewers. Lace them. Do not truss.

Put turkey in an 18 X 13 X2 inch roasting pan, breast side up. Put in oven legs first. Roast until the leg joint near the backbone wiggles easily, about 2 hours. After 20 minutes, move the turkey around with a wooden spatula to keep from sticking. Remove the turkey to a large platter. Let sit 20 minutes before carving.

Pour off grease from roasting pan and put pan on top of the stove. Add water or stock. Bring to a boil while scraping bottom of pan vigorously with a wooden spoon, loosening all the crisp bits in the bottom of the pan. These add intensity to the gravy. Let reduce by half. Serve on the side in a sauceboat or add to giblet gravy.

9 pounds
stuffed 1 hour 45 minutes
unstuffed 1 hour 15 minutes

12 pounds
stuffed 1 hour 50 minutes
unstuffed 1 hour 20 minutes

15 pounds
stuffed 2 hours 30 minutes
unstuffed 2 hours

20 pounds
stuffed 3 hours 30 minutes
unstuffed 3 hours

Ditto the pre-salting technique. We just had a chicken this weekend that was excellent. It's a heckuva lot more convenient than finding some way to refrigerate the brine bucket.

I brine but it's cold enough here to leave it on the porch in a large cooler lined with food grade plastic bags. Don't usually have enough room in any of the refrigerators when it comes time to thaw the 22 lb bird. Sounds interesting though.

When elery is doing a turkey in the smoker, he brines in salt, brown sugar and ice in a large camping cooler in the garage. Plenty cool enough, we usually still have ice floating the next day.....

Annie

I use salt, brown sugar, garlic, Old Bay, sage, thyme, rosemary, and whole pepper corns.

I bring a quart of water to a boil and add the other ingredients proportioned for the amount of brine I want to make, then boil for about 2 minutes.

Then I turn it off and leave it cool.

Then I mix it with the rest of the water (water and ice), and into the pan it all goes along with the bird.

As for keeping it cold, if it's cold enough outside, that works.

If it's not, use an insulated cooler, or wrap your container in a heavy quilt and keep a couple of 1 or 2 litre soda bottles full of water in the freezer to act as ice packs.

You can simply drop them right in the brine beside the bird and all is well.

We make an apple cider, brown sugar and kosher salt brine seasoned with whole peppercorns, cloves, orange or tangerine peel and fresh thyme.

Then DH smokes lightly in the Traeger and finishes by roasting. It produces a great turkey.

However, last year after wrestling a 23-pound bird out of a massive canister of brine I swore I was going to give the salt rub a try.

Carol

Wow, what great responses! I'm salivating just reading them.

Keep 'em coming. I'm thinking I may branch out this year -- not use such 'tame' seasonings. LOL

Ann T,

I've been a briner for a long time but want to take the plunge into high heat. A couple questions...

1. In your post above, it starts off stating 500 degrees but the recipe says 425 reduced to 325 and then towards the bottom it's 500 again. I'm assuming it's 500 for the entire time and the lessor temps are from a different technique. What's the story?

2. I'm planning to do two 15 pounders at the same time. I have the space but unsure about the potential extra time. Any ideas?

3. Does this method produce many drippings or do they dry up in the heat?

Thanks!

michaelp

Ann T- a forgot to ask...

You put the bird directly on the pan... no rack or veggies?

Sorry Michael, I should have been clearer. I use Judy Rogers' presalting method, but I roast using Barbara Kafka's High Heat method. 500°F from beginning to end. I do not lower the temperature. I use both methods not just for chicken/turkey but also for pork, beef and lamb.

I ended up with over 8 cups of gravy off the last turkey I roasted and even a small 3 pound chicken will usually net 3 cups of gravy or more. So there is no shortage of drippings. The secret is to roast in a pan that is just large enough to hold the bird without a lot of extra surface space. This will also prevent the smoke alarm from going off.

Ann