Turkey Brine Recipe
Serves: 8
Prep Time: inutes
Cook Time: inutes
Total Time: inutes
Our turkey brine recipe was created by one of our very own employees. It brings out the flavor and juiciness of Bell & Evans turkey and works well to enhance the flavor and the juiciness of the turkey. Check our turkey blog for details on how to up the ante with your turkey roasting and brining!
Ingredients
- 2/3 c kosher salt
- 2/3 c brown sugar
- 6 slices fresh ginger
- 6 whole cloves
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp crushed black peppercorns
- 2 tsp crushed allspice berries
- 8 c unsweetened apple cider
- 1 fresh or thawed turkey (10-25 lbs)
- 2 oranges, quartered
- 2 turkey size oven cooking bags
Preparation
- In a 3-4 quart saucepan, combine cider with salt, sugar, ginger, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and allspice; stir to dissolve salt.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 3-4 minutes; remove from heat, add 4 cups of ice water and set aside to cool.
- Line a heavy roasting pan with turkey-sized oven cooking bags (double-layered).
- Remove the turkey from its wrapping, remove neck and giblets (store separately), and rinse and prepare bird.
- Stuff cavity with orange quarters.
- Make a collar of the top of cooking bags (helps keep bags open), and slip bird inside, stand it upright (legs pointing up), and unfold the top of the bag.
- Pour the brine over the bird, and add an additional 2 cups of water.
- Draw up the first inner bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, and secure with a twist-tie; do the same for the outer bag.
- Place the turkey, breast side down, in the roasting pan and refrigerate for 12-24 hours, turning 3-4 times while brining.
- Just prior to roasting, remove the turkey from the brine; discard the bags, brine, and all cured herbs, spices, and oranges remaining in the bird.
- Let turkey rest in roasting pan for 20 minutes to an hour to allow some weeping of fluids before preparing for roasting.
This is a good recipe, I’ve made it before.