Darryl Postelnick, host of the social media video “Cooking With Darryl,” has a secret weapon for making the juiciest Thanksgiving turkey ever. It's a milk bath.
“When you put milk and buttermilk together, it breaks down the proteins, or the proteins in there break down the turkey and get into it, making it really juicy,” Postelnick told Fox News Digital from his home in Illinois. It will happen,” he said. (See the video at the top of this article and another video a few lines down.)
“This brine, I mean, you could literally cut a drumstick and it would peel all over your back and drip with juices. It was awesome,” he said.
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And while the turkey was juicy, the skin was “golden” and crispy, his favorite part.
“That's what I love about it,” Postelnick said. “I think when you cut a turkey, you should save the skin along with the meat.”
In addition to just soaking the turkey in milk, Postelnick advocates for another unconventional method of cooking a turkey. That's spatchcocking a turkey.
Spatchcocking is the process of flattening a bird after its spine is removed.
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Spatchcocked turkeys cook faster and more evenly than traditional turkeys, and require much less liquid in the brine, Postelnick said.
The process is made even easier, he says, because “you can ask the butcher or the grocery store guy to do the spatchcocking for you.”
The entire recipe is “very easy,” he said.
His father, chef Darryl Postelnick, told Fox News Digital that the buttermilk-cured turkey was “dripping with juices.” (Fox News Digital)
“You each get a quart. [milk and buttermilk]”You put a little salt in it, put it in a bag, and you're done. So you just leave it there and wait,” he said.
He advised that after placing the turkey in the milk mixture overnight, pat it dry and add butter and other seasonings before roasting or grilling.
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“The tenderness, juiciness and flavor that came through was a winner for me,” he said.
Milk-cured turkey with gravy recipe by Darryl Postelnick
Serves 10 people
Postelnick told Fox News Digital that using a buttermilk brine results in an incredibly juicy turkey without sacrificing the crispy skin. (Isabelle Subtil Photo)
material
for turkey
1 quart whole milk
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 quart buttermilk
1 turkey, 14-15 pounds, spatchcocked
8 tablespoons softened butter
for gravy
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
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2 cups combined turkey drippings and turkey or chicken stock
1 cup fresh cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
direction
1. Bring milk to a boil in a large pot. Pour in the salt, stir and cook until the salt dissolves, about 2 minutes. Once completely cool, add the buttermilk and mix.
2. Place turkey in a 2-gallon resealable plastic bag. Pour in the milk brine, seal the bag, and squeeze around the brine to evenly distribute it around the bird. Set the bag in a roasting pan or other deep tray or pot and place in the refrigerator for 24 to 36 hours, turning occasionally.
Spatchcocking refers to the process of removing and flattening a bird's spine. Backbones can (and should) be saved to create stock. (St. Petersburg)
3. Remove turkey from bag and drain excess brine. Pat turkey dry with paper towels and place breast side up in roasting pan. Apply the butter to your skin and leave it on for an hour.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Roast the turkey until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh near the bone registers 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If the brisket gets too dark towards the end of cooking, cover the surface with aluminum foil to protect it. While the turkey is resting, make the gravy.
5. Pour the turkey drippings from the roasting pan into a liquid measuring cup. Add stock for a total of 2 cups.
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6. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour mixture is fragrant and medium-dark brown. Pour in the dripping mixture and whisk to combine. Bring this to a boil, then add the cream. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 5-10 minutes until the gravy thickens. Remove from heat and add salt and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper. Serve with turkey or other holiday side dishes.
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This recipe belongs to Darryl Postelnick and was shared with Fox News Digital.
