Spice-Cured Turkey

Name: Spice-Cured Turkey
Yield: serves 12 to 14
Ingredients: 4 cups coarse salt; 5 cups sugar; 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 onions, cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 leeks, cut into 1-inch pieces and cleaned of all sand; 3 bay leaves; 1 head of garlic, cut in half crosswise; 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon cloves; 2 teaspoons whole allspice; 8 cups water; 1 18 to 20-pound organic turkey; Apple-Chestnut Stuffing (recipe follows); Spice Butter, softened (recipe follows); 1/2 cup apple cider; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 3 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock; 2 cups chestnuts (12 ounces in the shells, 8 ounces shelled); 1 loaf rustic Italian or French bread (about 1 pound); 2 cups prunes, coarsely chopped (12 ounces); 1 cup apple cider; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish; 1 large red onion, finely chopped; 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice; 2 green apples, cored, cut into 1/4-inch dice; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1/2 cup heavy cream

January 26, 2012

It may seem like a bit of trouble to brine the turkey, but it is well worth it: This is the best turkey we’ve ever tasted. If you don’t have a stockpot large enough to hold the turkey, you can use a new plastic tub instead. It is helpful to have an extra refrigerator to brine the turkey, as it takes up a lot of space.

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