ROASTED TURKEY BREAST Serves 6-8 1 1/2 cups kosher salt or 1/2 cup table salt 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 (6-8 pound) fresh, whole, bone-in, skin-on turkey breast, rinsed 4 tablespoons unsalted butter: 3 tablespoons softened, 1 tablespoon melted 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup water, white wine or stock Mix salt and sugar in 1 1/2 gallons of cool water in large stockpot until completely dissolved. Set turkey breast in brine, making sure it is submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 5 hours. Twenty minutes before roasting, adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix softened butter with pepper in small bowl. Set aside. Remove turkey breast from brine. Rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry. Rub seasoned butter under breast skin. Brush the skin with melted butter. Place turkey breast in the oven, wide neck end toward back of oven. Pour 1/2 cup water (or white wine or stock if you are making gravy) into pan bottom to prevent drippings from burning. Roast 15 minutes, then rotate roasting pan. Roast until skin turns golden, 15 minutes longer. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees, continue to roast, rotating pan once more, until internal temperature in deepest part of breast registers 160 to 165 degrees (depending on preference), 30 to 45 minutes longer. Let stand 20 minutes before carving. Note: If pressed for time, use twice as much salt and sugar in brine and cut soaking time to 2 hours (Ed Note: Be CAREFUL). DIANE ROSE'S TURKEY BRINE For every gallon of cold water, use 1 cup kosher salt and 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar. Add some lemons or other citrus fruit. (Cut fruit into halves or wedges, squeeze juice into brine, and toss in the fruit as well.) Add thyme or bay and some peeled, roughly chopped onions. Submerge turkey in brine to cover in a clean bucket or pot and refrigerate or keep in a cool place overnight. Rinse turkey, discard brine and cook as you normally would. Note: To figure out how much water you'll need, place turkey in the container, add water to cover, remove turkey and measure water. BRINED ROAST CHICKEN Serves 4 1 gallon boiling water 1 cup kosher salt 1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns 1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) chicken, giblets removed and rinsed 1 lemon, halved 2 sprigs rosemary Combine water, salt and peppercorns in bowl, stirring to dissolve salt. Cool, then refrigerate until cold. Place chicken breast-down in brine. Or place chicken and brine in gallon-size zipper plastic bag. Refrigerate 12 hours. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Squeeze 1/2 lemon inside chicken cavity; squeeze other half over chicken. Place both halves inside chicken. Tuck rosemary sprig under each wing. Roast 15 minutes, baste with pan juices. Turn oven down to 325 degrees and continue to baste every 15 minutes for an additional hour. Remove from oven and let rest on cutting board for 10 minutes before carving. |
