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Our pick Thanksgiving Day Turkey and in the theme of Zombie Jac and all that is Habanero. Courtesy of DarkRye.com.
Habanero-Brined Amish Turkey
Serves 14–16
Ingredients:
8½ quarts of water
3¼ cups salt for brine, plus more for roasting the turkey
3 teaspoons pink curing salt
½ cup sugar
1 cup maple syrup
10 dried habanero peppers
10 dried chipotle peppers
20 cloves crushed garlic
Savory fall spices, such as star anise, juniper, allspice, clove and bay leaf
6 ounces of each herb: bruised thyme, rosemary and sage, divided
12½ quarts of ice
1 (18–20 lb) turkey (Amish Heritage turkeys are ideal)
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
6 carrots, chopped into ½-inch cubes
1 bunch celery, chopped into ½-inch pieces
2 yellow onions, chopped into ½-inch cubes
2 cups white wine
CHEF’S NOTE: Pink curing salt contains sodium nitrite and is used for curing meats, so be careful to avoid contact with skin.
Turkey Brine:
Combine the water, salt, sugar, maple syrup, peppers, garlic, fall spices and 1⁄3 of the herbs in a large pot and bring to a boil; then simmer for about 10 minutes. Pour the brine into a 5-gallon container with ice to cool. Once the brine is at room temperature, immerse the turkey and cover. If you don’t have a 5-gallon container, use a smaller one and flip the turkey after 6 hours. Place the turkey in a cool environment for 12 to 14 hours.
Roasting the Turkey:
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove the turkey from the brine and dry the skin. Season inside and out with salt and pepper. Combine the carrots, celery and onions to make a mirepoix, and stuff the turkey with ½ of it, along with another 1⁄3 of the herbs. Use the remaining mirepoix and the remaining herbs to cover the bottom of the roasting pan.
Place the turkey in the pan and roast for an hour, adding a splash of white wine occasionally to prevent burning the bottom of the pan. After the turkey cooks for an hour, lower the temperature to 375°F. In 2 to 3 hours, the turkey should be done. If the skin hasn't turned crispy and golden brown, blast the oven on high for a few minutes until skin is crisp. Allow bird to rest for an hour or longer before serving.
CHEF’S NOTE: If the skin starts browning too quickly, cover the turkey with aluminum foil and remove foil for the last hour of cooking.
http://www.darkrye.com/content/habanero-brined-amish-turkey
