POM-Brined Turkey

INGREDIENTS

* Brine:
* 4 cups juice from POM Wonderful® Pomegranates,* or POM Wonderful® 100% Pomegranate Juice
* 16 cups water
* 1 cup coarse kosher salt
* 15 black peppercorns, slightly crushed
* 2 bay leaves
* 2 sprigs rosemary
* 1 tablespoon sage
*
* Turkey:
* 1 (12 pound) turkey, thawed if purchased frozen
* 2 teaspoons crumbled dried sage
* 2 teaspoons crushed dried rosemary
* 2 teaspoons crumbled dried thyme
* 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
* 2 teaspoons crushed black peppercorns
* 1 1/2 cups celery
* 1 cup chopped carrots
* 1 cup chopped onions
*
* Glaze:
* 3 cups juice from POM Wonderful® Pomegranates,* or POM Wonderful® 100% Pomegranate Juice
* 1/2 cup arils from large POM Wonderful® Pomegranate**
* Black pepper, to taste
*
* Gravy:
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 3 cups chicken broth

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DIRECTIONS

1. Turkey: Prepare fresh pomegranate juice.*
2. 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.
3. Score fresh pomegranates and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranates 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. (Refrigerate or freeze any remaining arils for another use.)
4. After brining turkey, rinse and pat dry. Coat outside skin with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Mix together sage, rosemary, thyme, poultry seasoning and peppercorns. Rub the turkey inside and outside with herb mixture. Place chopped vegetables in a shallow roasting pan. Place turkey on top of vegetables.
5. Roast at 325 degrees F for 12 to 14 minutes per pound (internal temperature should read 160 degrees F when a meat thermometer is inserted in thigh area).
6. In a saucepan, reduce 3 cups pomegranate juice by half to make glaze. Mix with black pepper and arils.
7. Cover turkey with pomegranate glaze and allow to rest covered with foil for 20 minutes before carving. Prepare gravy while turkey is resting.
8. Gravy: Remove turkey from the pan. Place vegetables in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons of flour to the pan drippings in the roasting pan.
9. 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.
10. Cook until desired consistency. Gravy can be thinned by adding more chicken broth.

* For 1 cup of juice, cut 2-3 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.

** 1-2 large POM Wonderful® Pomegranates will yield approximately 1/2 cup arils.