Citrus and Herb Turkey Brine
As Thanksgiving gets nearer, I am preparing for my big grocery store run to stock up on all the ingredients that I will need to make our feast. Every year I say that we are going to “downsize” our meal and every year the family agrees with me. But when it comes time to decide what dishes we cut from the line-up, everyone balks and insists that everything is essential. You should have seen the horror on the kid’s faces when I suggested we order our meal from a local restaurant. So much for making things easy on mom!
I make a big turkey and a ham every year. The kids used to like to look at the turkey but they always ate the ham first because they liked how juicy it tasted in comparison to the turkey. Well that all changed once I started brining my turkey in this delicious concoction. When I brine my turkey the day before cooking, every bit of the turkey comes out juicy and filled with flavor.
Brining is really pretty simple business. It is essentially salt and water. I like to add juice and citrus flavors along with some sugar to balance it all out. Before we can get to the brine, however, it is important to make sure that you clear off the bottom shelf in your refridgerator for the very large pot that you will need for your turkey. I buy a large turkey bag by Reynolds Wrap and line my large canning pot with it. If you are cramped for space in your fridge, you could put your turkey in the brining bag and put it in a cooler surrounded by ice.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 gallons water
- 3 cups apple cider
- 3 oranges
- 2 cups salt (or 3 1/2-cup Kosher salt)
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons fresh rosemary (2 tablespoons dried rosemary)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons peppercorns
- 5 whole bay leaves
DIRECTIONS::
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