Turkey Brine
INGREDIENTS
  • Cooking Time: a minimum of 16 hours but no more than 24 hours
  • Servings: 10# to 20# bird
  • Preparation Time: 10 minutes
  • 1 15 to 20# Fresh Turkey (Frozen Organic, is fine)
  • 3 c. apple juice or apple cider
  • 2 gallons cold water
  • 4 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 c. kosher Salt
  • 2 c. brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp. peppercorns
  • 5 whole bay leaves
  • Peel of three large oranges
DIRECTIONS
  1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover.
  2. Allow to cool completely, then pour into a large brining bag or pot. Place uncooked turkey in brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.
  3. When ready to roast turkey, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside.
  4. Discard brine. Remove turkey from clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
This recipe yield will brine a 15 to 20# Fresh Turkey For a small 10 to 15# Turkey, simply cut this recipe by half. It’s best to use a fresh turkey for brining. A frozen turkey is often injected with sodium preservatives that will affect the final flavors and could be too salty. There are frozen organic birds available (I’ve seen them at Whole Foods, for example) that can be thawed and used for a great brined turkey.