All IN
11-21-2006, 09:22 AM
If you never brine a turkey before its very easy, and I guarantee you it will be the BEST turkey you ever had. Its very easy to do. I've done it for years.
1 1/2 cups, (flaked) Kosher salt**
**See notes below regarding amount of salt and types of salt
1 1/4 cups, brown sugar
10 whole cloves
3 teaspoons, black peppercorns
1 1/2 gallons (6 quarts) apple juice or cider (non-alcoholic)
the peel from one orange or one tangerine (colored part only - not white pith)
optional: 3 teaspoons, dried thyme and/or 3 teaspoons, dried sage
Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive pot, bring mixture to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes (partly covered). Allow brine to cool completely.
Rinse turkey under cool running water, inside and out (remove giblets from body cavity). Pat turkey dry with paper towels, then immerse turkey in cooled brine.* Turkey should be completely submerged in liquid (place a plate on top of the bird if necessary to keep it covered with the liquid).
Cover the pot and refrigerate* for 8-10 hours or up to 24 hours. Remove turkey, rinse, pat dry, and roast as usual.
*Be sure the container used for brining turkey is non-reactive: use enamel, glass or crockery or stainless steel - never cast iron or aluminum. The pot should be just large enough to contain the turkey (so the brine will be sufficient to cover the bird). Brining Bags are now available from many cookware stores, as well as giant-size Ziplock bags (food safe) that may be used alone, or use within a sturdy pot.
*NOTE REGARDING THE CONTAINER (AND REFRIGERATION) FOR BRINING TURKEY:
We have learned that many folks do not have sufficient room in their refrigerators or sometimes a pot big enough for the turkey in its brine. Our solution is suggest that the turkey be placed, along with the brine, in a food-safe plastic bag, such as a turkey roasting bag (available in most markets). Then, the bag, with turkey and brine inside, can be placed in an insulated cooler, a large stock pot or plastic crate, (or even a deep sink) and surrounded by ice, blue ice or empty plastic bottles that have been filled with water and frozen. [The latter suggestions are to keep ice from melting into water which can be messy.] Then the cooler is closed, or the sink covered, and the turkey can be brined there for the number of hours required checking to be sure that the temperature of the brine is maintained at below 40 degrees, for safety. It is imperative that the temperature never be allowed to rise above 40 degrees add more ice/blue/ice as needed.
** NOTE REGARDING THE AMOUNT OF SALT IN BRINE: A milder brine may be made, which may have a less flavorful result but if salt is a concern (the entire turkey will absorb only 10-15% of the brine) the amount of salt may be reduced. For the desired chemical effect to take place, however, the proportions cannot be less than 2/3 to 1 cup of salt per gallon (4 quarts) of water or other liquid.
**TYPES OF SALT:
Kosher salt is the ONLY type of salt to be used in making brine (it is sweeter and more pure than ordinary table salt). Kosher salt is available in two varieties. The most common is flaked salt (example: Morton Kosher Salt) which has been pressed into flakes by rollers. The other type is a four-sided crystal (example: Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt). The crystal-shaped salt measures differently because of its shape. Use about 25% (one quarter) MORE crystal salt than flaked salt when measuring for brine or other recipes. The formula is: 1 tablespoon of regular table salt is equivalent to 1 ½ tablespoons flaked kosher salt, or 2 tablespoons, diamond crystal kosher salt.
***NOTE REGARDING BRINING TURKEYS TO BE DEEP FRIED:
When a turkey will be deep fried (Cajun style or otherwise), too much sugar will cause the bird to blacken on the outside. It is best, therefore to use water, rather than apple juice or cider, and to greatly reduce the amount of sugar called for in the above listing of brine ingredients.
1 1/2 cups, (flaked) Kosher salt**
**See notes below regarding amount of salt and types of salt
1 1/4 cups, brown sugar
10 whole cloves
3 teaspoons, black peppercorns
1 1/2 gallons (6 quarts) apple juice or cider (non-alcoholic)
the peel from one orange or one tangerine (colored part only - not white pith)
optional: 3 teaspoons, dried thyme and/or 3 teaspoons, dried sage
Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive pot, bring mixture to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes (partly covered). Allow brine to cool completely.
Rinse turkey under cool running water, inside and out (remove giblets from body cavity). Pat turkey dry with paper towels, then immerse turkey in cooled brine.* Turkey should be completely submerged in liquid (place a plate on top of the bird if necessary to keep it covered with the liquid).
Cover the pot and refrigerate* for 8-10 hours or up to 24 hours. Remove turkey, rinse, pat dry, and roast as usual.
*Be sure the container used for brining turkey is non-reactive: use enamel, glass or crockery or stainless steel - never cast iron or aluminum. The pot should be just large enough to contain the turkey (so the brine will be sufficient to cover the bird). Brining Bags are now available from many cookware stores, as well as giant-size Ziplock bags (food safe) that may be used alone, or use within a sturdy pot.
*NOTE REGARDING THE CONTAINER (AND REFRIGERATION) FOR BRINING TURKEY:
We have learned that many folks do not have sufficient room in their refrigerators or sometimes a pot big enough for the turkey in its brine. Our solution is suggest that the turkey be placed, along with the brine, in a food-safe plastic bag, such as a turkey roasting bag (available in most markets). Then, the bag, with turkey and brine inside, can be placed in an insulated cooler, a large stock pot or plastic crate, (or even a deep sink) and surrounded by ice, blue ice or empty plastic bottles that have been filled with water and frozen. [The latter suggestions are to keep ice from melting into water which can be messy.] Then the cooler is closed, or the sink covered, and the turkey can be brined there for the number of hours required checking to be sure that the temperature of the brine is maintained at below 40 degrees, for safety. It is imperative that the temperature never be allowed to rise above 40 degrees add more ice/blue/ice as needed.
** NOTE REGARDING THE AMOUNT OF SALT IN BRINE: A milder brine may be made, which may have a less flavorful result but if salt is a concern (the entire turkey will absorb only 10-15% of the brine) the amount of salt may be reduced. For the desired chemical effect to take place, however, the proportions cannot be less than 2/3 to 1 cup of salt per gallon (4 quarts) of water or other liquid.
**TYPES OF SALT:
Kosher salt is the ONLY type of salt to be used in making brine (it is sweeter and more pure than ordinary table salt). Kosher salt is available in two varieties. The most common is flaked salt (example: Morton Kosher Salt) which has been pressed into flakes by rollers. The other type is a four-sided crystal (example: Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt). The crystal-shaped salt measures differently because of its shape. Use about 25% (one quarter) MORE crystal salt than flaked salt when measuring for brine or other recipes. The formula is: 1 tablespoon of regular table salt is equivalent to 1 ½ tablespoons flaked kosher salt, or 2 tablespoons, diamond crystal kosher salt.
***NOTE REGARDING BRINING TURKEYS TO BE DEEP FRIED:
When a turkey will be deep fried (Cajun style or otherwise), too much sugar will cause the bird to blacken on the outside. It is best, therefore to use water, rather than apple juice or cider, and to greatly reduce the amount of sugar called for in the above listing of brine ingredients.