Roasted turkey brined in apple cider

Ingredients:

Brine

• 6-7 liters of water
• 1 l. non-alcoholic apple cider (apple juice with pulp)
• 3/4 cup coarse salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and cut the cloves in half
• 1/2 bunch rosemary
• 1/2 bunch sage
• 6 bay leaves
• 1 (5.5-6.5 kg) defrosted and gutted turkey

Sauce

• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 green apples, diced
• 5 bay leaves
• 1 tube cinnamon
• 1 bunch of thyme
• Salt
• 1 liter of chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. diluted non-alcoholic apple cider (apple juice with pulp)
• 3/4 cup flour

Turkey Rub

• 1 bunch rosemary, chop finely
• 1 bunch sage, finely chopped
• 360 g butter, room temperature
• Salt

Preparation:

1. To brine the turkey: Combine all the brine ingredients in a large container. Submerge the turkey completely in the brine and refrigerate for 2-3 days.
2. Prepare the turkey: Remove the turkey from the brine 10 hours before roasting and pat dry with paper towels. Combine the rosemary, sage, and butter in a bowl, and season with salt. Rub the mixture inside and out, as well as under the skin, and tie the legs with twine.
3. Place the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, apples, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and thyme in a baking dish, season with salt. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables and refrigerate, uncovered, for 10 hours. This will ensure the turkey dries out completely, resulting in a crispy crust when roasting.
4. Then preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius (450 degrees Fahrenheit). Add 2 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of apple cider to the turkey and vegetables. Place in the bottom of the oven and bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Continue baking, basting the turkey with broth every 30 minutes. Calculate the cooking time by multiplying the weight by the cooking time; 35 minutes per kilogram of turkey is required. If the turkey starts to burn, cover with foil.
5. Remove the turkey from the oven when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 160°F (70°C). Make sure the thermometer doesn't touch the bone. Transfer to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes.
6. Prepare the sauce: Place the vegetables in a blender, discarding the bay leaves and cinnamon stick, and puree until smooth. Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the flour. Fry until golden brown. Add the vegetable puree and 1 cup of cider. Add the remaining broth, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until thickened. Pour into a gravy boat.
7. Divide the turkey into portions and serve with sauce.
   
   Classic Turkey Gravy Recipe