Best Brined Turkey

Let's take a moment and talk turkey, shall we?

I love roasting chickens and turkeys.  And I'm pretty predictable about the flavorings I use to season them. A combination of citrus fruits, select herbs, and some garlic is my all-time favorite way to go.  I also love to put butter, preferably a compound butter, under the skin while slathering the outside with EVOO and plenty of salt and pepper.  I've found that doing this extra step with the skin, helps to keep the white meat a little more moist.

But nothing prepared me for just how moist a brined turkey could be. O.M.G.

Isn't brining a turkey (or any other kind of meat for that matter) kinda hard though?  I mean you've first got to find a container to not only hold the bird, but also all these gallons of Super Salty Water on top of it!  And then it's got to sit somewhere and then you have to pull it out and then....................

I will interrupt this whining thought-process to just say that brining really IS that easy.  It's NOT a lot of extra work. And what little extra you do is TOTALLY WORTH IT.

Best Brined Turkey
Recipe from Ree Drummond
Prep time: 15 minutes   Cook time: 1 hour-ish   Brining time: 16-24 hours   Rinse time: 20-30 minutes

Yes, I including a lot of "times" up there.  Don't let this scare you!  I swear to you this is easy.  I have two small children and one big dog and have made this turkey three times.  You. Can. DO THIS!!

3 cups apple juice or apple cider
2 gallons cold water
4 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups salt
2 cups brown sugar
3 tbsp peppercorns
5 whole bay leaves
Peel of three large oranges

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Turn off the heat and cover. [NOTE: If you do not have a pot big enough for 3 gallons of liquid, leave out one or both gallons of water at this point.  Add in the missing water when you pour the brine solution into your brining container]

I love that this uses all ingredients I pretty much keep on-hand.

Dump it all in and stir.  See? Not so difficult.

2. Allow the brine to cool completely, then poor into a large brining bag or pot. Place the uncooked turkey in the brine and refrigerate for 16-24 hours.

Yes, I used our large (CLEAN) cooler to brine a 15+lb turkey.

I was in a cooling hurry and needed to add some ice cubes.

Turn it a few times to coat, but leave it breast-side-down to soak.
Turn the bird over a few hours before pulling it out to distribute the flavor.

3.  When ready to roast the turkey, remove the bird from the brine. Submerge the turkey in a pot or clean sink of fresh, cold water for 15-20 minutes.  This soak will remove the excess salt from the outside and result in a much tastier gravy.

It's winter. We left the cooler in our detached garage overnight for "refrigeration."

Even if you like things salty, DON'T SKIP THIS STEP!!
Salt is easy to add, kinda impossible to take away.

4. Discard the brine. Remove the turkey from the water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

Ready to roast!

I looked up the exact time and temperature instructions for the size bird I had.  But after brining I went ahead with my usual flavor "treatment," since it seemed appropriate for the brine.  I halved a head of garlic and quartered an orange.  I stuffed these, with an extra sprig or two of rosemary, inside the cavity.  I rubbed half a stick of unsalted, softened butter underneath the skin, and massaged extra-virgin olive oil on the outside. A generous sprinkle of salt and pepper and this beauty was ready for the oven!

And it was delicious. I don't make turkey any other way anymore.  It's that good.