Brine the Turkey
Thanksgiving Flowers – because there really is nothing pretty about a raw turkey!
Brine the Turkey
Brining the turkey is a centuries old method that really does work. The key is to make sure you wash the turkey very very well afterwards or it will taste of salt. Brining helps the protein to uncoil, form a type of web and trap the moisture.We usually start the brining about 8 p.m. and rinse the turkey at 8 a.m. the next morning. The Turkey rests in a cool place until cooking time which starts anytime from noon to 1:30, depending on the size of the turkey and meal time.
Ingredients
15 – 19 pound turkey
- 1 cup Kosher Salt
- ½ cup Brown Sugar Splenda mix or 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 TBSP whole peppercorns
- 1 TBSP dry sage
- ½ TBSP Juniper Berries
- Water to submerge turkey in cooler
Instructions
- Rinse and clean out your hard cover cooler.
- In a large sauce pan heat 5 cups water, chicken stock, salt, sugar and herbs. Let cool completely.
- Place turkey in cooler (hard side picnic style), add salt mixture and enough water to submerge the turkey. Turn the turkey around in the water a few times to mix with the salt mixture. Brine for 12 hours. (We cook turkey in the cooler fall and winter months, so it sits on the back step or garage to keep cold.) Otherwise add ice and or freezer packs to keep continually cold.
- Remove turkey and wash very well under fresh tap water. Drain and clean cooler. Line bottom of the cooler with a couple dry dish towels. Dry any excess moisture on the turkey with some more dishtowels and return turkey to cooler. Leave the turkey uncovered in the cooler, close the lid and keep cool until 2 hours prior to cooking.
- Bring the turkey indoors, open the cooler lid and bring closer to room temperature prior to stuffing and cooking.