Sage and Apple Cider Buttered Turkey

For many Thanksgiving dinners, the turkey is the star of the show. This recipe comes to us from chefs BJ Duft and Dalis Chea from Herban Feast Catering, one of Seattle's premier catering companies. They are super committed to supporting local farms and serving delicious local fare at events both big and small.

Have you heard about brining? It's an easy way to add flavor and juciness to your holiday bird. At its most basic, brining is soaking the bird in a salty solution to increase the moisture retention of the turkey. It forces more water into the bird, which results in a jucier final product. Brine the bird a day ahead of time and enjoy the best turkey you've ever tasted.

Ingredients:
10-12 pound Turkey
For the brine (make a day ahead):
1 cup kosher salt
½ cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon mulling spice
1 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon vegetable stock (Organic has less sodium)
1 gallon iced water
Aromatics
1 leek
4 cloves garlic
4 cloves star anise
3 sprigs sage
3 sprigs rosemary
1 apple
3 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the glaze:
3 cups apple cider
2 tablespoons butter
6 fresh sage leaves, finely minced

Method:

1. For the brine: combine all ingredients in a stock pot except for iced water. Bring to a boil, to dissolve solids, then strain and let cool. Refrigerate over night. 10 hours before you roast the turkey, combine ice water and brine in a large bucket and submerge the turkey in the solution, breast side down.
2. Preheat oven to 500°. When ready to roast, remove the turkey from the brine, pat dry and place on roasting rack. Rub the turkey with oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the aromatics inside the cavity.
3. Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Pull out turkey, cover with foil, lower oven temperature to 350°, and continue to roast until turkey’s internal temperature reaches 160°.
4. Meanwhile, bring apple cider to a simmer and reduce by 3/4. Stir in butter and minced sage.
5. Remove turkey and baste with glaze. Let rest for 12 minutes, and then serve.