Buttermilk Brined Roasted Turkey

Buttermilk Brined Roasted Turkey mains This Buttermilk brined turkey is a deliciously moist and flavorful dish perfect for special occasions. The acidity in buttermilk helps break down the proteins in the turkey, resulting in tender juicy meat. turkey dinners Buttermilk Brined Roasted Turkey turkey

It could not be easier to roast up a super tender and juicy turkey! This Buttermilk brined turkey is a deliciously moist and flavorful dish perfect for special occasions. The acidity in buttermilk helps break down the proteins in the turkey, resulting in tender juicy meat. To make it, you’ll need a 10-15 Ib turkey, buttermilk, kosher salt, and some fresh herbs. We like to spatchcock the turkey making it very easy and quick to roast a whole turkey. Very little prep time is needed - juts some planning to ensure you have your turkey thawed brined and ready to go in the oven when you need it. This easy quick method yields one of the juiciest turkey out there! No need to boil then cool brine. Simply pour buttermilk over turkey with salt and aromatics, and let it do its thing before removing it from brine and roasting.

Buttermilk Brined Roasted Turkey

Easy Buttermilk Brined Turkey Recipe Ingredients

  • TURKEY: I use a plain turkey - NOT a Self-basting and pre-brined turkeys that have been injected with broth, salt, seasonings, beer, and/or other flavorings. This recipe works with a turkey that is 10-15 lbs. Mine was between 10-12 lbs so the only change you need to make with the recipe if yours is smaller is keep an eye on the time. Fully thaw the turkey in your fridge. Rule of thumb is 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey.
  • SALT: I recommend using kosher salt for the brine. Kosher salt is used for brines because its large, coarse flakes make it easy to handle, dissolve well in water, and distribute evenly for a pure salt flavor without additives. If you don’t have kosher salt no problem. You can substitute ⅓ cup of kosher salt with approximately ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons of fine sea salt
  • GARLIC:i use whole smashed garlic cloves for adding flavor to the brine.
  • HERBS: I use dried bay leaves and fresh rosemary. Feel free to do a blend of herbs if you want more flavor - add in some thyme, oregano and sage. You can even add in some peppercorns as well.
  • BROTH: You can use store bought chicken broth for the turkey gravy or make your own turkey broth using the the neck, backbone, giblets, some veggies and herbs. Instructions for that below in recipe notes.
  • ALL PURPOSE FLOUR: This is for the homemade turkey gravy to thicken it if making.

Buttermilk Brined Roasted Turkey

How To Make Spatchcock Buttermilk Brined Turkey

  1. SPATCHCOCK: Turn turkey breast-side down on a clean cutting board. Using sharp kitchen scissors, cut out backbone of chicken. Turn chicken over and open back, so the legs are facing inward. Place palms over the center of the breastbone and press down firmly to crack. (this will allow the chicken to lay flat).
  2. BRINE: Combine the cold buttermilk and salt. Submerge the turkey in the brine mixed with buttermilk and herbs for 12-24 hours. Use a large stock pot to do this or if you don’t have a large enough one I use a large brining bag and place the bag in a large roasting pan.
  3. BAKE/ROAST: Do NOT wash off the brine. Lift turkey out of brine, brush off any herbs or spices and let any brine drip off of it. Place turkey over rack on baking sheet and allow to come to room temperature. Transfer pan to preheated oven and bake until cooked through and golden. Use a meat thermometer to gauge roasting time.
  4. REST: Once the turkey is out of the oven, tent loosely with foil and allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes to allow all the juices to redistribute and settle.
  5. MAKE GRAVY WITH DRIPPINGS: This is optional but if you want to make a very simple gravy with turkey drippings. Whisk the drippings with flour and spices. Then whisk in the broth and cook stirring until it reaches desired consistency.
  6. CARVE TURKEY & SERVE: If carving - Remove the tips of the wings and then cut through the joint that attaches the wing to the turkey. Remove the leg from the thigh by cutting through the joint. Remove the breast meat by cutting down both sides of the breast bone then slice each piece of breast meat into serving slices. Remove any small pieces of meat and include them on your meat tray or save them for leftovers.

Buttermilk Brined Roasted Turkey

What Does Buttermilk Do in a Brine?

The lactic acid in buttermilk helps to break down the protein in meat, which tenderizes it without making it tough, this also helps the meat retain moisture, keeping it juicy. The sugars in buttermilk caramelize during cooking, resulting in a deeper golden brown skin color and more complex flavor.

How Long Can You Brine a Turkey in Buttermilk?

There is a sweet spot for brining: It takes about 12 hours for the brine to work; 24 hours is even better. But don’t go too much longer that 24 hours no matter the size of the turkey or the meat could become too soft and salty.

Do You Rinse Brine Off a Turkey Before Cooking It?

No, there’s no need to rinse or pat the dry after you remove it from the buttermilk brine. Gently shake off any excess brine and any whole spices or herbs on turkey when you pull the turkey from the liquid.

Buttermilk-Brined Turkey Roasting Tips

  • Fully thaw the turkey in your fridge. Rule of thumb is 24 hours for every 4- 5 pounds of turkey.
  • Brine in a very large stock pot or bowl. My fridge space is very limited and I don’t have a large enough stock pot so I recommend using a brining bag and placing the turkey in bag over a roasting pan for stability and in case of any leakage.
  • For extra crispy skin, once brined and on a rack, dry the turkey in the fridge over night before roasting. Make sure nothing is touching it, and that nothing stored in the door will touch it when closed.
  • Save the giblets and backbone to make a delicious homemade turkey broth for the gravy! Simple recipe and instructions included below which you can make while the turkey is in the oven or the night before
  • Trim the tips of the wings off at the joint (save it to make broth), as it burns easily or you can tuck the wings under the body of the turkey.
  • Minimize opening the oven door while roasting. Doing so drops the temperature which will affect the cooking time and you won’t get that golden brown, crispy skin. This is why I don’t recommend basting the turkey every half hour as some recipes require.
  • To check the doneness, place the thermometer deep in the thickest part of the breast or deepest part of the breast. You should also check the temp near the wing joint, where the wing meets the breast.
  • You can spatchcock a turkey at any size. However, roasting a spatchcocked turkey bigger than 15 pounds will be hard to fit on a roasting pan and in the oven. Roasting two smaller birds from 12 to 14 pounds will give you meat that’s more moist and tender.

Buttermilk Brined Roasted Turkey

Storage & Freezing Turkey Leftovers

  • STORAGE: The cooked turkey will stay fresh in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for around 3 day
  • FREEZING: Place pieces of turkey into a resealable bag, with as much air removed as possible, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Buttermilk Brined Roasted Turkey

What To Serve With Spatchcock Turkey

What to Make With Leftover Turkey

Leftovers are the best when it comes to turkey dinner - here are a few fun ideas for using leftover turkey including but not exclusively soup:

Recipe

Servings: 8-12 (depending on size of turkey)
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1½ hrs
Non Active Time: 12-24 hours (for brining turkey)

Ingredients

For the Marinade

  • 1 (10-14lb.) whole turkey, thawed if frozen
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 3 dried bay leaves
  • 1 bunch of rosemary
  • 3 qt. whole buttermilk (12 cups)
  • ⅓ cup kosher salt

Easy Turkey Drippings Gravy

  • ¼ cup turkey drippings (fat and juices from roasted turkey)
  • 2 cups liquid (juices from roasted turkey, chicken broth or turkey broth)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt,
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Directions

Remove giblets

  1. Remove giblets and neck from turkey cavity; discard or save for making turkey broth

Spatchcock Turkey

  1. Locate the backbone, facing it up towards you (breasts down). Using sharp heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along sides of the backbone / spine from the tail to neck. Use blades of the scissors to snip at the skin and fatty tissue near the neck as needed.
  2. Turn the turkey over, skin and turkey breast side up. Use the heel of your hands, apply pressure (put your weight into it!) on the upper middle of one side of the the breast bone to break it. You will hear cracking noises/ cartilage pop. Repeat on the other side of the breast bone (See photos).

Make Brine Whisk together, buttermilk and salt in a large stock pot or bowl until salt is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Place turkey in a large brining bag/ plastic bag or in the pot if it is large enough. Seal the bag letting any excess air out, or cover pot/bowl and move the mixture around so that it gets into the cavity, and the turkey is well coated. You want the breast meat, thighs and legs to be submerged. Transfer to fridge and Refrigerate for 12-24 hours. Longer than that and the texture of the the turkey will be affected - will become too soft.

Roast Turkey

  1. Remove the turkey out of the fridge then out of the buttermilk mixture - wiping off any spices but leaving turkey wet. Discard marinade. Place turkey, breast side up, on wire rack set inside a large rimmed baking sheet; Optional: Tuck the turkey wing tips under the rib cage to prevent them from burning as the turkey cook. Let stand at room temperature approx 1 -2 hour. This step is crucial and helps so that the turkey cooks evenly.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  3. Transfer turkey to preheated oven and roast roast turkey until a probe thermometer registers 165 F at the thickest part of the thigh and 155 F at the thickest part of the breast, approximately 6 minutes per pound. Tent any areas that begin to brown too quickly with foil.
  4. Remove from the oven once done and loosely tent with foil and allow turkey to rest 20-30 minutes before slicing or placing on serving platter.
  5. Pour off any collected juices and pass them through a fine mesh strainer if you’d like to add them to your gravy.

Make Gravy

  1. Measure out ¼ cup drippings from pan and add it to a small saucepan.
  2. Whisk together flour salt and pepper then whisk it into the pan drippings. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
  3. Stir in liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute or until gravy reaches consistency you prefer -add more liquid if needed. TIP: (Measure accurately because too little fat makes gravy lumpy or too greasy)

Recipe Notes

  • Make homemade stock: Make your own stock by simmering the neck, backbone, and giblets. Heat a large pot to medium heat and add the olive oil with the turkey parts. Saute until browned (5-7 minutes) then add the vegetables (1 onion, 1 carrot chopped, 2 ribs celery chopped) and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until soft. (Browning is optional but adds loads of flavor to the broth - you can simply add everything t a pot the way it is instead if you prefer.) Add approx 6 cups of water and herbs (1 bay leaf and a small bunch of fresh herbs of choice) to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and partially cover the pot with a lid for 45 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh strainer into a 2-quart liquid measuring cup and discard solids. Skim off any fat from the surface of the broth.
  • For convection bake: Heat the oven in the Convection Roast Mode or Convection Bake mode at 400°F (220°C). Set the timer for 15 minutes and when the timer has elapsed, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Allow approximately 1 hour for a 10 - 12lb turkey to roast in this method and 1 hour 15 mins for a 12 - 15lb turkey to cook to perfection.
  • Roasting times: Check the temperature of the thickest part of the thigh with an instant-read thermometer.
    • An 11-pound spatchcock turkey generally takes 70-75 minutes
    • A 12-pound spatchcock turkey generally takes 80-85 minutes
    • A 14-pound spatchcock turkey generally takes 90-95 minutes
  • Pan size: I used a 15x11 Stainless steel sheetpan lined with aluminum foil and a stainless steel rack over it for this recipe with a 14 pound turkey. It was a bit larger than I wanted but the smallest one I could get my hands on (for reference). I line the sheetpan with foil for easy clean up.
  • Be Mindful: Be careful pulling the turkey in and out of the oven as the accumulated pan drippings are hot and can really smoke up the oven if they drizzle out. Feel free to use a sheetpan with a wider lip to help with this or use a regular roasting pan with flat rack.

Buttermilk Brined Roasted Turkey