This is the first year that I made turkey with brine and wow, what in the world had we been missing. It was so tender and tasty...I'll never make a turkey without doing this method. I got this recipe off the food network but there are lots of different ways to brine a turkey. The most important thing is the salt and liquid...I didn't have any vegetable stock...water would work fine and I didn't have candied ginger. Enjoy!
1 1/4 cup salt (2 cups Kosher or coarse salt)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger (optional)
1 gallon ice water
DIRECTIONS: Pour vegetable stock into a large pot over a high heat. Add salt, brown sugar, and spices. Bring to a light boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour in ice water and stir to combine. Place turkey in a large plastic container (at least 4 gallon). Pour brine over top. Refrigerate and brine for 1 hour per pound.Thoroughly rinse all the brine from the turkey before cooking. Otherwise there will be a salty flavor to the turkey. Pat dry and roast.
After your enthusiastic brining experience, I tried it on our Christmas turkey. I could tell it was definitely more moist. Delicious! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis was the first year that I did a brine for my Turkey also! I used one of those extra giant zip loc bags to put mine in and kept it in an ice chest. It turned so delicious! We could not believe how moist it was!
ReplyDeleteOkay. I have been so chicken (no pun intended) to try brining. I don't know why. I am so worried that it will be terrible - like that taste you taste when you are body surfing in the ocean and you wipe out and you have sand and salt dripping down your throat and out your nose. And that to me does not scream "THANKSGIVING"! Remind me again next October and then maybe I will be better able to psyche myself up to doing it!!!!!
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