For a less traditional flavor, but very moist turkey, To Brine Or Not To Brine?
Following is my recipe for brining a turkey prior to roasting. It definitely makes a moist turkey. It also changes the entire taste experience. If you have a large enough refrigerator and want to experiment, here is what you do:
Tools required:
A five-gallon stockpot or a five-gallon plastic bucket
A refrigerator large enough to hold a 5 gallon bucket for 24 hours
Ingredients:
1 gallon of hot liquid…it can be hot water, vegetable broth, or canned chicken broth
1-cup sea salt or kosher salt
1-cup of real maple syrup (or maple flavored syrup if on a budget)
1-cup sugar
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp dried sage
1 Tbsp dried rosemary
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp dried savory
1 gallon of iced water
Preparation
Combine all ingredients, except iced water, into the five gallon large stockpot and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and set a side to cool.
When the mixture reaches room temperature, pour in the iced water.
Place turkey in the brine solution and place into the refrigerator for 24 hours. This step can be as short as 12 hours or as long as 48 hours, but best results are at 24 hours.
After the required time has passed, remove from the pot, rinse well, and cook according to your normal recipe. A brine turkey will cook about 30 to 45 minutes faster.
More Thanksgiving Day Dinner Recipes: