Chinese Brined Turkey (Extra Juicy and Crispy on All Sides)

Ingredients

• young turkey, 14 to 16 pound1/6 to 7 kg
• clove sgarlic, slice d
• inches (5 cm) ginger, slice d
• white onions, quart ered
• to 4 citrus fruits(I used lemon, grapefruit and orange) *(Footnote 1)
• to 3 tablespoon solive oil
• cup ssoy sauce
• cup oyster sauce
• cup Japanese sake(or Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• teaspoon ssalt
• teaspoon scoarsely ground black pepper
• teaspoon five spice powder(or make your own)

Instructions

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Stir to mix well.
2. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey cavity. Save them to make stock later or discard them.
3. Line a turkey bag over a large container (Footnote 2). Place the turkey into the bag, neck side down.
4. Spread garlic and ginger in the turkey cavity, and stuff with white onions. Tie turkey legs together with twine, so the onions won’t fall out.
5. Pour the marinade on the inside and outside of the turkey. Carefully massage the bag to dispense the liquid evenly.
6. Try to squeeze as much air from from the bag as possible, and seal it with a clipper. Crumble and stuff old papers into the bottom of the container to lift the bag, so the marinade will rise higher and submerge 2/3 of the bird. Place the container into the fridge and let it marinate for 24 hours.
7. Once the breast side is marinated, transfer the container onto kitchen counter.
8. Open the bag.
9. Flip the turkey by lifting the legs with your one hand and use the other hand to hold the neck side.
10. Squeeze the air from the bag and seal it.
11. Rearrange the paper padding if necessary, to let the marinade submerge 1/3 of the bird.
12. Place the container back into the fridge and let it marinate for 24 hours (or 12 hours if you’re in a hurry).