Finally, a great meal is only as good as the ingredients. At the Mediterranean Market we've chosen to offer Canter Valley free range turkeys. These fine birds are raised on a diet of fresh grass and FREPNZ certified grain feed, consistently yielding around 35% breast meat. As with our other products, we've found that how the food is raised and handled makes a huge difference to the final taste and overall quality.
This is prepared for a size 4 turkey
Ingredients:
6 litres water
¼ cup salt
2/3 cup Brown Sugar
Bunch of thyme
4 large bulbs garlic
½ tsp peppercorns
2 x Bay leaves
Optional 1x star anise & 1x cinnamon
Method:
• Place all ingredients into a 10 litre pot and bring to the boil, simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
• Once done, the brine needs to be cooled if not chilled before next step. I place my turkey in my 10 litre pot and pour brine into cavity and cover with brine.
• I then place a plate on top and glad wrap the top. If you don’t have a big enough pot or space in fridge you can put the turkey into an oven roasting bag, pour in brine then place in an iced bucket.
• I say 24 hours but longer is better depending on space. The cooking class turkey brined for 30 hrs.
Cooking the turkey:
• Pre-heat 160c no fan
• Take out of brine and drain well. My preference is to cut the turkey in half as it is quicker to roast and takes up less space.
• I then place it in or on a tray and cover with tinfoil and place in oven for 1hr 10min pull out and check if juices are clearest in the thigh.
• Then remove tin foil to colour up skin approx 20/30 min. Pull out of oven and cover with tinfoil rest for 20 to 30 min carve and serve.