Brined Roast Turkey Breast with Confit Legs

Ingredients for Brined Roast Turkey Breast with Confit Legs

• 450g turkey, legs and thighs cut from carcass, keeping drumsticks and thighs attached, wings cut from breast

• 2 dried chillies de árbol, crumbled

• 40g kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper

• 6 sprigs thyme

• 3 sprigs sage

• 2 4" sprigs rosemary

• 2 bay leaves

• 4 2x1/2" strips lemon zest (yellow part only

• from about 1/2 lemon)

• 1350g duck fat

• 2 tablespoons allspice berries

• 2 tablespoons juniper berries

• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds

• 100g kosher salt

• 70g sugar

• 1 onion, sliced

• 1 carrot, peeled, cut on a diagonal

• 1/2 fennel bulb, sliced

• 8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

• 8 sprigs thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 dried chillies de árbol

• 2 whole cloves

• 1 sliced yellow onion

• 1/2 bunch sage sprigs

• 1/2 bunch thyme sprigs

• 60g (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

• Ingredient info: Dried chillies de árbol are thin, red, very hot 3"-long chillies. Find them at Latin markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets. Duck fat is available at hudsonvalleyfoiegras.com. Juniper berries are available at thespicehouse.com.

How to make Brined Roast Turkey Breast with Confit Legs

Place whole legs and wings on a baking sheet. Rub chillies, salt, and pepper all over turkey; transfer to a large resealable plastic bag. Scatter herbs and lemon zest all around turkey in bag. Seal bag and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 121°C. Brush off herbs and excess salt from legs and wings.

Heat duck fat in a heavy 5-quart pot over low heat just until melted and warm. Add legs and wings to pot and submerge.

Place turkey in oven and cook until legs are tender and a paring knife can be easily inserted into the thickest part of thigh, 3-3 1/2 hours. Let turkey cool in duck fat at room temperature, about 2 hours. Cover and chill overnight. DO AHEAD: Confit can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Coarsely crush allspice berries with a mortar and pestle. Alternatively, place in a resealable plastic freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin or the bottom of a skillet. Transfer to a large pot. Repeat with juniper berries, then fennel seeds. Place spices in pot.

Add salt, sugar, and 475ml hot water to pot with spices. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Add onion, carrot, fennel, parsley and thyme sprigs, bay leaves, chillies, and cloves. Add 2.8L very cold water and stir to combine. Place turkey breast in brine. Place a plate on top, if necessary, to keep breast submerged. Cover and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 232°C. Line a large roasting pan with foil. Set a rack inside pan. Scatter onion, sage, and thyme over rack. Remove turkey breast from brine. Pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey breast on top of herbs on rack.

Brush breast with melted butter. Season with salt and pepper. Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 149°C, cover breast loosely with foil, and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 71°C, 2 1/2-3 hours total. Let breast rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, rewarm confit legs and wings in duck fat over medium heat. Remove legs and wings from fat; transfer to a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet and cook over medium-high heat until skin is nicely browned, about 6 minutes per side. Strain fat from pan and freeze for future use.

Carve breast; arrange on a platter. Place wings and legs alongside.

Haftungsausschluss

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.