Szechwan Tea Brined Turkey

Szechwan Tea Brined Turkey

3 lemons, peel the rind with a potato peeler
2 cups kosher salt
2 cups light brown sugar
4 large ice tea bags
12 cinnamon sticks
1 cup whole dried Chinese red chili peppers or Chile de Arbol peppers
½ cup premixed spice for Pho*
*Available at Asian markets or use the following
1/2 cup star anise
1/4 cup black peppercorns
1 tablespoon cardamom pods
1 tablespoon whole cloves

1 -18 pound fresh turkey
1- 2 cups goose fat (secret ingredient)
The Brine:

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in large pot. Add the tea bags, lemon peel, and spices and steep twenty minutes. Remove the tea bags but leave the spices and stir in the salt and sugar. Cool to luke warm. Add about 12 ice cubes or until the brine is completely cooled. Rinse the turkey with cold water, remove all the giblets and soak in the brine for 36-48 hours. Be sure to use a nonreactive pot that will fit in the refrigerator. Weight the turkey to completely submerge in the brine. I used an un-opened plastic ½ gallon of milk that worked perfectly.

Sausage, Porcini and Bourbon Soaked Prune Stuffing:

1 -1/2 cups pitted prunes
½ cup Bourbon
Soak overnight

1 loaf crusty firm bread. (I used Italian semolina)
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 large onions, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
1 (5oz) package dried porcini*, soak in water , then roughly chop (save liquid)
1 tablespoon dried sage
2-3 tablespoons dried thyme
3 tablespoon black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1-2 cups turkey *or chicken stock
Kosher salt to taste

Cut the bread in 1 inch cubes and either lightly toast in the oven or dry overnight. If you have a gas oven the heat of the pilot light is usually great for this.

Sauté the sausage in a skillet over medium heat until brown. Add the butter, onions and celery to the sausage, reduce the heat and continue to cook, for about 15 minutes. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and add the sausage mixture. Let cool slightly and add 1-2 cups of turkey stock, the seasonings, parsley and blend well. Mix in half of the porcini (save the juice and rest for the gravy) and the prunes and whatever liquid may have accumulated.

Note: I used less salt than I normally would have for the stuffing due to the brine.

Roasting the turkey:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Remove turkey from brine and place in roasting pan. Use your fingers to carefully loosen the turkey skin from the flesh without tearing the skin. This is actually quite simple and you can loosen down to the thighs. Liberally rub the goose fat under the skin and pat the skin back in place. Fill the cavity with the stuffing placing any extra in a small casserole to bake later. Rub the outside of the turkey as well using more fat if necessary.

Roast uncovered for 1 hour at 400 degrees, then reduce oven to 350 and roast 2 more hours. I did not even have to baste the turkey. After 3 hours, the legs felt done (or 165 on meat thermometer from the thigh) and I removed the turkey from the oven and covered with foil to rest for another hours. Perfection.

Porcini Gravy:

Trick of the Trade: Buy a deli roasted chicken for dinner Thanksgiving week. Most likely you are busy so having an easy meal is ideal. Save the bones and carcass to make a quick stock along with the turkey neck and giblets. Remember to remove the turkey liver after about thirty minutes as it gets bitter. Add all your onion peels, parsley stems, celery tops and a couple carrots to the stock pot. Any leftover wine in the fridge- throw it in too. I added a half bottle of pinot noir to the stock myself.

Simmer 2 hours, strain then bring to a simmer when ready to make gravy. Use part of this stock to moisten your stuffing and more flavorful gravy.

Fool Proof Gravy Preparation – for about 1 ½ quarts of gravy (plenty leftover for the turkey hash)

Carefully pour off turkey pan dripping. Skim about 2/3 cup of the fat and place in a small skillet to make a roux. Add ½ cup of flour and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic and 1 tablespoon paprika. Whisk into the hot stock and continue stirring until it’s beginning to thicken slightly. Add the remaining porcini, the reserved juice and the turkey drippings (skim any remaining fat first and discard). Simmer for about 30 minutes and check seasonings before serving.