Happy Be-Lated Canadian Thanksgiving

So it's been a few weeks since this actually took place, but I figured I still needed to post these pictures and information.

Jason and I hosted a Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner Party in our home and it was a huge success! We had all the trimmings of a traditional American Thanksgiving (minus the cranberry sauce). There were about 20+/- people in our very tiny house, but I think it worked out pretty well. One of my favorite items there was the Sweet Potatoes made by Aubrey. Everyone ranted and raved about my DELISIOUSLY MOIST turkey and wanted to know how I made it - some even said it was better than their mom's! :o) I hope that this is a tradition we will continue throughout the years to come! Thanks to Sharese for her being born in Canada, otherwise I would have never thought of having a Thanksgiving to share especially with my friends!

Shauntel's Roast Turkey
1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon chicken stock/broth
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 gallon iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
1 tablespoon rosemary
2 tablespoons ground sage
Vegetable oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (overnight).

Late the night before cooking, combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement or patio). When you wake up the morning of cooking, turn turkey over.

A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.
Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with vegetable oil.

Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 1/2 to 3 hours of roasting. Turkey is done when meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches 161 degrees F. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving. (adapted from Alton Brown's Roast Turkey recipe).

Shauntel's Roasted Turkey Gravy
6 tablespoons turkey fat
6 tablespoons flour
4 cups heated liquid (drippings topped off with water, broth , or milk)
chicken base
salt
Pour the drippings (fat and meat juices) into a gravy separator. Pour 6 tablespoons of the fat into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and cook and stir for 2-3 minutes, letting the flour brown with thte fat. Gradually stir in hot liquid (I used water). Cook and stir until smooth and thickened. Season well with salt and pepper and add chicken base to taste.