Ingredients
– 1 whole turkey, 10-12 pounds (fully thawed, giblets and neck removed)
– 2-4 cups chicken stock or water plus more as needed for roasting pan
– 1 cup unsalted butter, softened for jerk butter
– 8-10 cloves garlic, freshly minced for jerk butter
– 7 tablespoons jerk marinade mild or hot based on preference for jerk butter
– 5 sprigs fresh thyme for jerk butter
– 2 teaspoons seasoning salt if brining or 4 teaspoons if not brining for jerk butter
– 1 teaspoon black pepper for jerk butter
– 4 tablespoons soy sauce light sodium if brining; regular if not for jerk butter
– 16 cups water or enough to fully submerge turkey for salt water brine
– 1 cup kosher salt for salt water brine
Instructions
1-Getting Started: Thawing and Brining: First, thaw the turkey safely in the refrigerator, allowing 24 hours per 4-5 pounds, or use the cold water method by changing water every 30 minutes at 30 minutes per pound. For brining, dissolve 1 cup kosher salt in 16 cups water in a large container; fully submerge the turkey, cover, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, then pat dry.
2-Jerk Butter Preparation: Next, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, jerk marinade, fresh thyme, seasoning salt, black pepper, and soy sauce to make the jerk butter. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and thighs, then spread half of the jerk butter evenly underneath the skin and rub the remaining on the outside and inside cavity.
3-Roasting and Finishing: Marinate the turkey for a few hours or overnight for optimal flavor.
4-Roasting and Finishing: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and let the turkey sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
5-Roasting and Finishing: Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan and pour chicken stock or water into the pan.
6-Roasting and Finishing: Cover the turkey tightly with foil and roast for about 15 minutes per pound.
7-Roasting and Finishing: After the first 1.5 hours, baste the turkey with pan drippings every 30-45 minutes.
8-Roasting and Finishing: Remove foil halfway through roasting to brown the skin; loosely cover if it’s browning too quickly.
9-Roasting and Finishing: Use a meat thermometer to check doneness: 165°F (74°C) in the breast and 175°F (79°C) in the thigh.
10-Roasting and Finishing: Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving and serving.
Last Step:
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🦃 Bring the turkey to room temperature before cooking to ensure even roasting and prevent dryness.
🧈 Gently loosen the skin to apply jerk butter underneath for flavorful, juicy meat.
🔥 Cover tightly with foil during initial roasting to lock in moisture; remove halfway to allow skin browning.
🌿 Baste regularly with pan drippings after the first 90 minutes for crispy skin and moist meat.
⏳ Rest the turkey for at least 30 minutes before carving to redistribute juices for tenderness.
💧 Brining is optional but recommended to enhance juiciness; skip if short on time but increase seasoning amounts.
🥕 Use sturdy vegetables like carrots and onions as a substitute for a roasting rack to elevate the turkey.
🧊 Prepare jerk butter ahead and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before use.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Brining Time: 12 hours minimum
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting, marinating, basting
- Cuisine: Caribbean
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 204 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 859 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg