Perfect Turkey

Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes prep, 4 hours cook

Yield: 24 servings

• 1 (18 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
• 2 cups kosher salt
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup dry white wine

1. Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt. Place the bird in a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Place in refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 35o degrees F. Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.
3. Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.
4. Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F. Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

Comments: Turkey breast with bone were on sale at the grocery store and we found this recipe as we were looking for a way to cook it. I didn’t use as much salt for it and I used dried thyme instead of the fresh sprigs. The turkey came out nice and moist with the outside layer a golden brown.