Ken Gauthreaux's Thanksgiving Baked Turkey

Method

Directions

1. 1
   To brine, heat 1 quart of water (from 2 gallons) in a sauce pan.
2. 2
   Add all ingredients to water (except remaining 1 3/4 gallons of cold water) and heat until dissolved.
3. 3
   Pour brine mixture into the container you are using to marinate the turkey in. (Suggestion: Firehouse Subs sells empty 5-gallon pickle buckets, they are food grade buckets and the perfect size for a large turkey).
4. 4
   Add the remaining 1 3/4 gallons cold water. Submerge a cleaned turkey into the brine mixture and marinate for 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
5. 5
   To prep your roasting pan, clean carrots and celery and line bottom of roasting pan with them, alternating each to create a bed for the turkey to rest on.
6. 6
   Remove turkey from brine and rinse (Suggestion: place turkey aside and discard brine mixture, put fresh cold water in the container used to marinate and return the turkey to the container and rinse).
7. 7
   Remove turkey and allow to drain excess water before placing in the roasting pan.
8. 8
   Place turkey in roasting pan on top of the carrots and celery. Brush vegetable/olive oil on skin (to help with browning).
9. 9
   Sparingly sprinkle poultry seasoning on skin and inside chest cavity of turkey.
10. 10
    Place whole peeled onion (with top & bottom cut off) inside the chest cavity.
11. 11
    Place bacon slices across the breast of turkey to help keep the breast from drying out. Tip: place separated bacon slices on plate and place in freezer for 10 to 15 min while preparing turkey (don't let them freeze); the colder bacon slices slow the turkey breast from overcooking before the rest of the bird.
12. 12
    Preheat oven to 325°F.
13. 13
    Place turkey on center oven rack and bake 15 minutes for each pound of turkey. Cook uncovered for 2/3 of that time.
14. 14
    Remove pan with turkey after the 2/3 cooking time and cover pan with foil (or pan top) and continue baking the remaining 1/3 time. (Optionally baste at this point; every time the oven is opened or the turkey is removed it adds time to recover temperature.)
15. 15
    Upon completion of the cooking time or when the meat thermometer registers 180°F, remove turkey from oven and allow to rest (covered) for 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Tip: place the pan with turkey (still covered) in an empty ice cooler (no ice) to insulate while resting; don't let it rest longer than 30 minutes.
16. 16
    Carve and enjoy!