BUTTERMILK-BRINED
SPICE-RUBBED TURKEY
ACTIVE: 45 min l TOTAL: 4 hr (plus overnight brining)
SERVES: 81 cup kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
2 heads garlic, halved
20 sprigs fresh thyme
3 quarts buttermilk
¾ cup hot sauce (such as Cholula)
¼ cup spicy brown mustard
2 onions (1 sliced, 1 quartered)
1 12- to 14-pound turkey, thawed if frozen,
neck and giblets removed
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Brine the turkey: Bring 2 cups water, the salt,
brown sugar, 1 halved garlic head and 10 thyme
sprigs to a boil in a medium saucepan over
medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and
sugar. Remove from the heat and add 6 cups cold
water; let cool to room temperature. Whisk the
buttermilk, hot sauce, mustard and sliced onion in
a large bowl, then whisk in the salt-sugar mixture.
Place the turkey in a brining bag or extra-large pot.
Pour the brine over the turkey, seal or cover and
refrigerate overnight.
- Position a rack in the lowest part of the oven;
remove the other racks and preheat to 350 ̊.
Set a rack in a large roasting pan. Remove the
turkey from the brine, letting the excess drip off
as much as possible, and transfer, breast-side up,
to the rack. Pat the turkey dry. Let sit at room
temperature 30 minutes.
- Combine the paprika, onion powder, granulated
garlic, cayenne and 1 teaspoon black pepper in
a small bowl. Stuff the turkey cavity with the
remaining 1 halved garlic head and 10 thyme sprigs
and the quartered onion; tie the legs together with
kitchen twine. Tuck the wings under the body.
Season the turkey all over with salt and brush with
the melted butter. Coat the turkey with the spice
mixture.
- Roast the turkey 1½ hours, then baste with the
pan drippings. (Add ¼ cup water to the roasting pan
if it’s too dry.) Continue to roast, basting every
30 minutes, until the skin is crisp and a thermometer
inserted into the thigh registers 165 ̊, 45 minutes
to 1½ hours. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board
and let rest 30 minutes before carving.
NOVEMBER 2019 ●FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE 109
Buttermilk-Brined
spice-rubbed Turkey