Perfectly Roasted Chicken or
Turkey with Leek Soup
(optional)
For Thanksgiving a few years ago I wanted to make a
perfect turkey. I looked in "The New Best Recipe" and they had a great
section on it. I combined their method with my own ingredients and
Sierra's Leek Soup. It turns out perfectly every time!
If you
don't want to make the soup just follow the instructions for the chicken and
turkey.
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In a large container mix the water and salt for the
brine. Add the chicken or turkey. Place in the refrigerator or cover in
several cups of ice at room temperature. You may need to add ice half way
through the brine. Brine the chicken for 1 hour or the turkey for 2 hours. |
Place a cooling rack on top of large rimmed baking
sheet. Remove the chicken or turkey from the brine. Rinse the outside and
the cavities. Pat dry with paper towels. Set on the prepared cooling
rack. Place the in the refrigerator uncovered 2-4 hours for either meat. |
Soften the butter to room temperature. Chop the
herbs and mix into the butter. |
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Chicken
4-6 lb chicken
1 gallon cold water
1 c salt
1/4 c unsalted butter
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary or 4-6 sprigs fresh thyme
Turkey 10-12 lb turkey 2 gallons
cold water 2 c salt
1/2 c unsalted butter 4-6 sprigs fresh
rosemary or 8-12 sprigs fresh thyme
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Position an oven rack on the lowest setting and remove
all other racks. Preheat the oven to 425. Loosen the skin of the chicken
or turkey using a knife if necessary. Distribute the butter under the
skin. |
Salt and pepper the outer skin and cavities. Quarter
the lemon and garlic cloves and stuff them in the large cavity. |
Line the roasting pan with foil for an easy
clean-up. Place the v-rack in the roasting pan. Place the chicken or
turkey on the v-rack, with the bottom side of the chicken or turkey facing
up. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes or the turkey for 45 minutes.
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Chicken
2 t kosher salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon quartered
1 clove garlic quartered
Turkey
1 T kosher salt
2 t freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons quartered
2 cloves garlic quartered
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Using paper towels to protect your hands, turn the meat on its
side. Roast 15 minutes (chicken or turkey). |
Turn to the other side. Roast 15 minutes (chicken or
turkey). |
Turn it top side up. Roast 10-15 minutes for the
chicken, 20-30 minutes for the turkey or until done. |
Leek Soup
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While the meat is drying in step 2, rinse and chop the leeks. Peel and
chop the carrots, and potatoes. Place them in the bottom of the roasting
pan.
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Place a v-rack on top of the chopped vegetables. Pour the broth over the
vegetables. |
Place the chicken or turkey on the v-rack and roast as described above.
Remove from oven and remove the chicken or turkey to a slicing surface to
rest. |
5 russet potatoes
4 carrots
3 leeks
3 quarts (12 c)
low-sodium chicken broth
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Transfer the vegetables and broth to a large pot. Skim off the fat on top. |
Using an immersion blender, process to desired consistency. Add salt and
pepper to taste. |
Serve hot. |
1-2 t kosher
salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper |
Perfectly Roasted
Chicken or Turkey chicken serves 4-6 turkey serves 10-12
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Chicken-
double it to roast two chickens at the same time
brine 1 c salt 1 gallon water
4-6 lb chicken
herb butter
1/4 c unsalted butter 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 4-6 sprigs fresh
thyme
cavity 2 t kosher salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper 1 lemon 1
clove garlic
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Turkey
brine
2 c salt 2 gallons water 10-12 lb turkey
herb butter 1/2 c unsalted butter
2-4 sprigs fresh rosemary or 8-12 sprigs fresh thyme
cavity 1 T kosher salt 2 t
freshly ground black pepper 2 lemons 2 cloves garlic |
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1. In a large container mix the water
and salt for the brine. Add the chicken or turkey. Place in the
refrigerator or cover in several cups of ice at room temperature. You may
need to add ice half way through the brine. Brine the chicken for 1 hour or the turkey for 2 hours.
2.
Place a cooling rack on top of large rimmed baking sheet. Remove the
chicken or turkey from the brine. Rinse the outside and the cavities. Pat dry with paper towels. Set
on the prepared cooling rack. Place
the in the refrigerator uncovered 2-4 hours for either meat.
3. Soften the butter to room temperature. Chop the
herbs and mix into the butter.
4. Position an oven rack on the lowest setting and remove all
other racks. Preheat the oven to 425. Loosen the skin of the
chicken or turkey using a knife if necessary. Distribute the butter under
the skin. Salt and pepper the outer skin and cavities. Quarter the lemon
and garlic cloves and stuff them in the large cavity.
5. Line the
roasting pan with foil for an easy clean-up. Place the v-rack in the
roasting pan. Place the chicken or turkey on the v-rack, with the bottom side
of the chicken or turkey facing up.
Roast the chicken for 30 minutes or the turkey for 45 minutes.
6. Using paper towels to protect your hands, turn the
meat on its side. Roast 15 minutes (chicken or turkey). Turn to the other
side. Roast 15 minutes (chicken or turkey). Turn it top side up. Roast
10-15 minutes for the chicken, 20-30 minutes for the turkey or until done.
7.
Remove from v-rack and place on a slicing surface. Remove the garlic
and lemon from the cavity. Let the meat rest 10-20 minutes before
slicing. Slice and serve.
Leek Soup (optional) serves 8-10
3 leeks 4
carrots 5 potatoes 3 qt low sodium ch
broth 1 - 2 t kosher salt 1/4 t freshly cracked pepper
1. While the meat is drying in step 2, rinse and chop
the leeks, carrots, and potatoes. Place them in the bottom of the
roasting pan.
2. Place a v-rack on top of the
chopped vegetables. Pour the broth over the vegetables. Place
the chicken or turkey on the v-rack and roast as described above.
Remove from oven and remove the chicken or turkey to a slicing surface to
rest. Transfer the vegetables and broth to a large pot. Skim off
the fat on top. Using an immersion blender, process to desired
consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Notes
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