Slow Cooked Roast Turkey

Ingredients

Brine
2 cups kosher salt
2 cups maple syrup
1 cup dark-brown sugar
10 sage leaves
8 thyme sprigs
4 bay leaves
1 tbs. black peppercorns

The Turkey
1 16–18 lbs. turkey
1/4 cup corn oil
3 tbs. salt
2 tbs. pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped

Instructions

Brine
Pour 2 gallons of water into a large stock pot, add all the ingredients, and bring to a boil; stir occasionally until the sugar and salt dissolve. Cool and strain.

Turkey
Remove the neck and giblets, and cut each wing at the first joint and reserve. Rinse the turkey in cold water, then place it into the cool brine in a large stock pot. Brine for 12 hours, or about 45 minutes per pound, depending on the size of the bird.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Remove the bird from the brine, and rinse under cold water. Dry the turkey with paper towels and rub with oil, then season with salt and pepper all over, including the back and cavity.

Add the neck, wing tips, vegetables, and 2 cups of water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Place 1/3 of the stuffing (see recipe) in the cavity of the turkey, and put the turkey on a roasting rack set in the pan. Roast the turkey in the oven for 3 to 4 1/2 hours, or 15 minutes per pound, until the skin is browned and an internal temperature taken in the legs reads 160 degrees.

Remove the turkey, and allow to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes (1 hour maximum) before serving. Drain the liquid from the bottom of the roasting pan. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Remove the fat from the surface, reheat the jus, and pour over the carved turkey. (Published 2011)