Holiday
Olive Brined Turkey with Gravy
Difficulty:
Medium
Prep Time:
30min., plus overnight brining
Total Time:
3hours and 30min., plus overnight brining
Brining your turkey in a solution of salt and sugar and spices delivers a juicy and extremely flavorful star to your thanksgiving meal. Adding our Mezzetta® Imported Spanish Queen Olives to the brine gives the turkey the same juicy result, but with a hint of delicious olive flavor!
- Turkey
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 (16 ounce) jars Imported Spanish Queen Martini Olives
- 6 strips of lemon peel
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 (14-16 lb) turkey neck and giblets removed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup chicken or turkey stock plus more as needed
- Gravy
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken or turkey stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Large roasting pan
V-shaped roasted rack
2 brining bags
Turkey baster
- In a large pot, add 8 cups of water, ¼ cup kosher salt, ½ cup granulated sugar, the 2 jars of Mezzetta® Imported Spanish Queen Olives (brine and all), lemon peel, bay leaves and peppercorns and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and heat until the salt and sugar have fully dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
- Double up 2 brining bags and place them into a large roasting pan. Add the prepared turkey breast side down and add the cooled brine and 6 more cups of cold water. Tie up the bag at the top and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
- Remove the turkey from the brine, discard the contents of the bag, pat the skin dry with paper towels and lightly season the turkey and cavity all over with salt and pepper.
- Preheat your oven to 450°F and remove all the racks from the oven but one and place that on the lower third of the oven.
- Place the turkey breast side up into a large roasting pan fitted with a V shaped roasting rack. Drain the brine from the remaining 2 jars of Mezzetta® Imported Spanish Queen Olives into the roasting pan and pour the olives into the cavity of the turkey. Generously rub the softened butter under the skin and all over the surface of the turkey, truss the drumsticks together and tuck the wings under the body.
- To the roasting pan, add 1 cup of chicken or turkey stock and place the turkey in the oven and immediately lower the temperature of the oven to 350°F. You want to roast the turkey for 13-15 minutes per pound, or roughly 3 hours total.
- Every 30 minutes, remove the turkey from the oven, closing the door behind you as to not drop the oven temperature, and baste all over with the juices from the bottom of the pan. Rotate the pan 180° and return to the oven. Repeat this process, adding more stock as needed until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165°F.
- Transfer the turkey to a large cutting board or baking sheet and allow the turkey to rest, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes while you make your gravy. Drain the juice that have collected in the roasting pan into a large bowl, skim off the fat from the juices and discard.
- In a medium-large pot, melt the butter over medium heat and add the reserved turkey neck. Add the flour and stir until the butter and flour have created a roux and cook until the roux is a caramel colored golden brown. Carefully whisk in the chicken or turkey stock and reserved pan juices.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer the gravy, stirring often, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and season with salt and pepper to taste if needed.
- Carve the turkey, transfer to a large platter, and serve with the gravy on the side and all of your favorite thanksgiving sides!
- Enjoy with family and friends!
