Clementine and cranberry turkey

  • Preparation 1 h 30 min
  • Refrigeration 12 h
  • Cooking 2 h 30 min
  • Servings 6 to 8
  • Freezing Absolutely

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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

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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!