Clementine and cranberry turkey

Name: Clementine and cranberry turkey
Prep time: 13 h 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Ingredients: 24 cups of water; 3/4 cup sea salt; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 750ml of Weizen Ipa beer by the Micro Brewery Lion Bleu; 1/2 cup orange juice; 6 sprigs of fresh thyme; 4 bay leaves; 1 red onion, peeled and cut into large chunks; 3 garlic cloves, peeled and slightly crushed; 2 tablespoons black peppercorns; A 5 kg turkey, thawed and giblets removed

Preparation :13h30 min Cooking :2h30 min

Difficulty :medium

Servings :6 to 8

Here is a nice refreshing turkey recipe that I developed for Les Éleveurs de Volailles du Québec. This recipe is very simple to make but takes a some time because, in my opinion, soaking the beast in a salty brine for one night makes ALL the difference. The turkey baths in a mixture of white beer and orange juice with herbs such as red onion, garlic, thyme and black peppercorns. Avoid marinating too long or it will become too salty !

Ingredients for the brine

24 cups of water
3/4 cup sea salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
750ml of Weizen Ipa beer by the Micro Brewery Lion Bleu
1/2 cup orange juice
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 bay leaves
1 red onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
3 garlic cloves, peeled and slightly crushed
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
A 5 kg turkey, thawed and giblets removed

Ingredients for the butter

1/4 cup fresh cranberry
4 clementine quarters
1 cup half-salt butter, soft
The zest of 3 clementines
Salt and pepper from the mill

Ingredients for the rest

1/2 cup fresh cranberries
5 clementines, cut in half (you can take the 3 with the zest removed)
1 small red onion, cut into large chunks
About 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper from the mill

Preparation

Start by preparing the brine. Pour 4 cups water in a saucepan, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add salt and brown sugar and mix well to dissolve. Let cool 20 minutes.
With the exception of the turkey, pour the rest of the ingredients into a very large saucepan and mix well. Place the turkey and push it under the water to fully submerge it. Cover and put in the fridge for the whole night. The best is to put your turkey in at night just before going to bed so that it does not bath too long. *** Do not have a giant saucepan or brine bag? Place a large trash bag in the bottom of a clean cooler and put your turkey in it with the brine. Add a few bags of ice around the turkey and you’ll be in business! ***
Remove the turkey from the brine and drain well. Place on a roasting pan with the breast up. Push the wings so that the end tips are underneath.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
Prepare the butter. In a food processor, add the cranberries and clementine wedges and puree. Pour into a bowl followed by butter, zest of clementine and salt and pepper. Mix and reserve.
Gently peel off the skin of the turkey breasts and insert about half of the butter mixture between the skin and the breasts. Take about 3 tablespoons butter and push on top of the breasts to form a small mountain. Spread the rest of the butter all over, on the wings and thighs, pressing to make it stick to the skin. Put some in the cavities as well!
Insert cranberries, clementines and onions into the turkey’s large cavity and push to put as much as possible. As you can see in the photo, I kept a few pieces to put on it directly. Season turkey with salt and pepper and sprinkle with thyme to taste.
Place in the oven and cook for 2 hours to 2h30 or until the internal temperature of the thighs is 180 F. Cover with aluminum foil if the top skin becomes too brown.
Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving!

COOK MODE

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Our wine stewards suggest

+- 15$Ijalba Genoli 2016

A wine for the whole family to accompany this turkey version Le Coup de Grâce. Freshness, breadth and texture to perfection, here is what offers this Rioja with white Viura. An apricot nose for the fruit, a hint of green apple for the liveliness of the wine and a fragrance of flowers for the overall harmony. All in a very beautiful final all in length. It remains to wish you Merry Christmas.

Saint-Charles, La Souche, 3.5%

Brown with low alcohol content, the Saint-Charles will seduce you with its slightly toasted notes and aromas of cranberries and grapes. The fruity touch of this beer will recall that of cranberries and clementines from the turkey. The classic roast of this style of beer will remind the gilding of the skin of the bird. The alcohol content of the beer will allow you to drink a couple to enjoy more of your holiday meal !

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