Mains

POM Wonderful-Brined Turkey

This mouth-watering roast is worth the effort - your guests will be asking for second helpings! 

Serves 10.
Prep Time: 1 hour (plus 8 - 10 hours brining).
Cooking Time: 3 hours.

Ingredients

Brine

• Juice from 8 - 12 large POM Wonderful pomegranates*
• 16 cups water
• 1 cup coarse Kosher salt
• 15 black peppercorns, slightly crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 tbsp sage

 Turkey

• Juice from 6 - 9 large POM Wonderful pomegranates*
• 1/2 cup arils from 1 large POM Wonderful pomegranate
• 5.5 - 7kg (12 - 15lb) turkey, thawed if purchased frozen
• 2 tsp each sage, rosemary, thyme, poultry seasonings, and crushed black peppercorns that have been mixed together
• 1 1/2 cups celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped onions
• Black pepper to taste

 Gravy

• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth

Cooking Instructions

Turkey

• Prepare fresh pomegranate juice.*
• Line a pot or tub large enough to hold the brine and turkey with a food-safe plastic bag.
• Combine all brine ingredients in bag, making sure all the salt has been fully dissolved.
• Place the turkey breast-side down in the brine; refrigerate or surround the pot with ice packs in an insulated cooler for about 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
• Score 1 fresh pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate under water to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top.
• Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)
• After brining turkey, rinse and pat dry.
• Coat outside skin with 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Rub the turkey inside and outside with herb mixture.
• Place chopped vegetables in a shallow roasting pan. Place turkey on top of vegetables.
• Roast at 325°F/162°C for 12 to 14 minutes per pound (internal temperature should read 160°F/71°C when a meat thermometer is inserted in thigh area).
• In a saucepan, reduce 3 cups pomegranate juice by half to make glaze.
• Mix with black pepper and arils. Cover turkey with pomegranate glaze and allow to rest covered with foil for 20 minutes before carving.
• Prepare gravy while turkey is resting.

 Gravy 

• Remove turkey from the pan.
• Place vegetables in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
• Add 3 tbsp flour to the pan drippings in the roasting pan.
• Place roasting pan on stovetop over medium heat. Cook drippings and flour for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate flour with drippings.
• Add processed vegetables and 3 cups of chicken broth. Cook until desired consistency. Gravy can be thinned by adding more chicken broth.

 * For 7 cups of juice, cut 14 - 21 large POM Wonderful pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside.