The Juiciest Turkey in the World

First, the turkey gets a nice salty brine. Mix one liter of water with the apple juice (or the xylitol, also known as birch sugar) and the salt. Add 2 sprigs of thyme, 2 sprigs of rosemary and 2 bay leaves.

Now cut the turkey lengthwise into two halves. If you don’t have poultry shears, simply ask your butcher to halve the turkey beforehand. Next you need the biggest pot or roasting pan you can find. Place the turkey halves inside and pour the brine over them. Finally, top up with enough water to cover the turkey completely.

Now the pot needs to go somewhere cool. Either your fridge has enough room, or you find the coldest spot you have, such as a balcony or cellar. Let the turkey sit in the covered pot for 2 hours, or better overnight, so the brine can work and make the meat tender.

Before the turkey goes into the oven, take it out of the brine and rinse it thoroughly. You can pour the salt water away. Preheat the oven to 220-250 °C (430-480 °F).

Now wash, trim and roughly chop the vegetables. Spread them over the bottom of a large enough roasting pan. Melt half of the butter and toss it with the vegetables and a little salt and pepper. Pat the turkey dry, place it on the vegetables, rub it with the remaining butter and season with salt and pepper.

Put the roasting pan on the lowest rack of the oven for 15-20 minutes until the turkey is nicely browned. Then reduce the temperature to 160 °C (320 °F). Pour in the stock and add the remaining herbs. The liquid should come halfway up the pan; add water if it is not enough. Now cover the pan completely with aluminum foil so the turkey can braise gently in the steam.

The roast needs another 1-1.5 hours in the oven. If you have a meat thermometer, check when the breast reaches 70 °C (158 °F). Then the turkey is wonderfully juicy and ready to eat. Enjoy your feast!

For a festive touch, brush the turkey with my cranberry glaze shortly before the end of the cooking time, or serve it as a sauce on the side.