Buttermilk Brined Turkey Recipes

BUTTERMILK-BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• Buttermilk Brine: Pour water into a medium saucepan over high heat. Add salt and stir to dissolve; once all the salt has dissolved, remove from heat and add ice cubes to cool quickly.
• In a large stock pot, add basil, coriander seed, mustard seed, black peppercorns, bay leaves, and garlic powder. Add buttermilk, salt water, and stir.
• Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water. Line a stock pot large enough to hold the turkey with a brining bag. Place the turkey into the bag, then carefully pour in the buttermilk brine. (Optional: Use a pitcher to help transfer the brine.) Press out all the air, then seal the bag. Transfer the bagged turkey to a sheet tray and refrigerate for 24-36 hours, turning every 4 to 6 hours for even brining.
• Remove the turkey from the brining bag; discard the brine. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels, inside and out. Place the turkey breast side up on a rack in a large roasting pan. Twist and tuck the wing tips underneath the turkey. Cross the legs, then tie together with kitchen twine. Rub the skin evenly with butter. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Meanwhile, position oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 F.
• Season the turkey all over with pepper. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 325 F and continue roasting, about 15 minutes per pound. After 1 hour of total cooking time, remove turkey from the oven, opening and closing the door as quickly as possible to maintain the temperature. Baste turkey with the juices that have accumulated in the pan. (Tip: For easier basting, tilt the pan to allow juices to collect on one side.) Check temperature by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and thigh, away from the bone. The turkey is done when a digital thermometer registers 165 F at the thickest part of the breast and 175 F at the thigh. (At this point, the turkey won't be done, but you will have a better idea of how much cooking time is left.) Continue roasting, basting and checking the temperature every 30 minutes. Total roasting time should be 2½-3½ hours.
• When turkey has reached temperature, immediately transfer to a carving board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes before carving. (See the "How to Carve a Turkey" lesson for carving instructions.)

BUTTERMILK-BRINED ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Two to three days before you plan to cook, spatchcock the turkey: Put the turkey on a stable cutting board, breast-side down, and use heavy-duty kitchen shears to snip along both sides of the backbone to release it. You can start from the tail or neck end, whichever you prefer; just keep the blades of the scissors as close to the spine as possible. It helps to work incrementally, snipping a little on one side, then a little on the other, rather than completing one side entirely and then doing the second side without the advantage of the opposing pressure.
• After removing the backbone, remove wingtips, neck and giblets, setting them all aside for stock and gravy.
• Turn turkey over so breast faces up. Splay out its legs and press hard on breastbone until you hear the cartilage pop and the bird lies completely flat.
• Place a 2-gallon resealable bag in a large bowl, stock pot or sink. Pour buttermilk and salt in bag and stir to dissolve salt. Place turkey in bag and seal carefully, expelling out air. Double-bag the turkey as needed to prevent leakage, then squish the inner bag to distribute buttermilk all around the turkey. Place it on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate for 48 hours. Turn the bag every 12 hours so that every part of the turkey gets marinated.
• Three hours before you plan to start cooking, remove the turkey from the plastic bag and scrape off as much buttermilk as you can without being obsessive, discarding buttermilk. Set the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet and bring it to room temperature.
• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Transfer turkey, breast-side up, to another rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack or parchment paper. Tuck thighs inward.
• Place baking sheet on the prepared oven rack and roast the turkey, occasionally rotating the pan 180 degrees, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the breast registers 150 degrees and the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165 degrees, about 80 to 100 minutes, depending on size. (You may want to tent the breast or other hot spots with aluminum foil, if darkening too quickly.)
• Transfer turkey to a cutting board or platter and allow to rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

BUTTERMILK-BRINED SPICE-RUBBED TURKEY

Steps:

• Brine the turkey: Bring 2 cups water, the salt, brown sugar, 1 halved garlic head and 10 thyme sprigs to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from the heat and add 6 cups cold water; let cool to room temperature. Whisk the buttermilk, hot sauce, mustard and sliced onion in a large bowl, then whisk in the salt-sugar mixture. Place the turkey in a brining bag or extra-large pot. Pour the brine over the turkey, seal or cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Position a rack in the lowest part of the oven; remove the other racks and preheat to 350˚. Set a rack in a large roasting pan. Remove the turkey from the brine, letting the excess drip off as much as possible, and transfer, breast-side up, to the rack. Pat the turkey dry. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Combine the paprika, onion powder, granulated garlic, cayenne and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Stuff the turkey cavity with the remaining 1 halved garlic head and 10 thyme sprigs and the quartered onion; tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Tuck the wings under the body. Season the turkey all over with salt and brush with the melted butter. Coat the turkey with the spice mixture.
• Roast the turkey 1 1/2 hours, then baste with the pan drippings. (Add 1/4 cup water to the roasting pan if it's too dry.) Continue to roast, basting every 30 minutes, until the skin is crisp and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165˚, 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving.

SPICED BUTTERMILK-BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• Bring 1 quart water, salt, bay leaves, and spices to a simmer in a medium saucepan, stirring until salt has dissolved. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Line a 5-gallon container with a large brining bag. Place turkey in bag with 4 quarts water, salt mixture, buttermilk, onions, garlic, and thyme; tie bag. (If turkey is not submerged, weight it down with a plate.) Refrigerate for 24 hours, flipping turkey once.
• Remove turkey from brine; discard brine. Rinse turkey and pat dry. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Tie turkey legs and tuck wing tips under. Transfer to a large roasting pan fitted with a rack. Place in oven, legs first, if oven permits. Roast 45 minutes, then lower temperature to 325 degrees and roast, rotating and basting about every 30 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Let stand at least 30 minutes before carving.

BUTTERMILK-BRINED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients together in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Place in a bowl, to catch any leaks, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Remove the turkey breast from the brine, drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
• Place the turkey breast, skin-side up, on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn the oven up to 400 degrees F and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the skin is nicely browned. Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium heat and oil the grates generously with vegetable oil.
• Once the turkey has rested, cut the meat off the bone and carve into 3/8-inch thick slices. Place the slices on the grill and cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side, just until grill marks develop.
• Remove from the grill. Use in a Po' Boy or as main course.

BUTTERMILK-BRINED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• One to two days before you plan to cook, place buttermilk and salt in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag and stir to dissolve salt. Place turkey breast in the bag and seal carefully, expelling the air. Squish the bag to distribute buttermilk all around the turkey, place on a rimmed plate, and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. If you're so inclined, you can turn the bag periodically so every part of the turkey gets marinated, but that's not essential.
• Two hours before you plan to start cooking, remove the turkey from the plastic bag and scrape off as much buttermilk as you can without being obsessive. Discard buttermilk, set the breast on a rimmed plate and bring it to room temperature.
• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 425 degrees. Place breast skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack or parchment paper.
• Place baking sheet on the prepared oven rack and roast the turkey until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the breast without touching bone registers 150 degrees, about 40 minutes for a boneless breast or 50 minutes for a bone-in breast. (You may want to tent the breast with aluminum foil if it's darkening too quickly.)
• Transfer turkey to a cutting board or platter and allow to rest at least 15 minutes before carving.