Plain Old Turkey Brine Recipes

GRANDMA'S FARMHOUSE TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Stir the salt, poultry seasoning, onion powder, and black pepper together in a large stockpot. Pour in the vegetable stock, water, and cranberry juice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• To use, submerge a turkey into the cooled brine and refrigerate 12 to 16 hours to brine. Drain the turkey and pat dry before roasting according to your recipe's directions.

TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, combine the vegetable broth, apple juice, sea salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, and savory. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to be sure salt is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.
• Nest 1 plastic oven bag inside the other to create a double thickness Use only food grade bags such as Reynolds or the generic turkey roasting bags. Do not use plastic garbage bags, or plastic household bucketsas they are not intended for food storage and contain PCB's (PolyChlorinatedBiphenyl's ) which are not good for you to ingest. Place the double bag mouth open wide and facing up, in the roasting pan (Note: if your roasting pan will not fit in your refrigerator, use a very large bowl).
• Fold back the top one-third of the double bag to make a collar (this helps keep the bags open). Place the turkey inside the double bag. Unfold the collar of the double bag and pour the brine over the bird, then the ice water water. Draw up the top of the inner bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, and secure it closed with a twist tie. Do the same with the outer bag. Turn the package so the turkey is breast side down in the roasting pan (or very large bowl) and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours. Turn the turkey 3 or 4 times while it is brining.
• Remove the turkey carefully draining off the excess brine and pat dry with paper towels. Discard excess brine (sanitize the sink afterwards).
• Place the turkey back in the roasting pan (or on a rimmed sheet pan that is large enough to hold the turkey) and refrigerate, making sure that it touches nothing else in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 6 hours or up to overnight. This resting period allows the skin of the turkey to dry a bit so it is crisp when roasted. The turkey is now ready to be roasted.
• Cook the turkey as desired reserving the drippings for gravy. Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster so watch your meat thermometer.

THE BEST TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a clean, heavy-duty, plastic garbage bag.) Add the oranges, lemons, and poultry herbs. I like to squeeze out some of the juices from the oranges and lemons into the solution before I add them. (Note: If you have a big turkey and need more brine, use 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar for every additional gallon of water.).
• Remove the neck, giblets, and liver from the cavity of the turkey and reserve. Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water.
• Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Remove turkey from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Pat dry and prepare turkey according to your recipe.

PLAIN OLD TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring 1 gallon water to a boil. Add the sugar, salt and spices, then stir until the salt and sugar dissolve.
• Add 1 gallon of cold water and the ice. Transfer the brine to a container large enough to contain it and the turkey (I do this with a turkey breast and put it in a small cooler -- Many grocers sell special brining bags for this purpose).
• Add the turkey to the brine, breast side submerged, close the container and refrigerate overnight.
• Once brined, remove the turkey from the liquid and drain. Pat the bird dry with paper towels and proceed with roasting as directed by your recipe. Check the internal temperature early, as brined turkeys cook faster than those not brine.
• Makes enough brine for a 10-pound turkey.

PORTUGUESE TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Soak turkeys in salted water under refrigeration for 24 hours.
• Combine wine, garlic, paprika, bay leaves, salt, hot pepper sauce and oregano. Marinate turkeys in this mixture for 24 hours under refrigeration. Turn occasionally.
• When ready to cook, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove turkeys from marinade, reserving marinade. Pack turkeys loosely with stuffing and cover openings of cavities with bread crusts; sew cavities closed. Bake remaining stuffing separately during the last half-hour turkeys are roasting.
• Wrap turkey wings in foil. Put turkeys into roasting pans and top with pieces of bacon, putting some beneath turkeys as well. Pour reserved marinade over turkeys.
• Roast turkeys for 30 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast turkeys about 2 1/2 hours more. If turkeys get too brown before they are cooked, put aluminum foil over the top. If turkeys are roasted in a single oven, they may need 30 minutes or more of extra roasting time.

TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• In a large stock pan combine water, apple cider, and all spices.
• Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
• Turn off heat and allow the brine to completely cool off to room temperature.
• Once the brine is cool place turkey inside a large turkey bag (I recommend double bagging) and pour the brine inside the bag (do this over a sink). Tie the bag tightly and place in the fridge.
• I turn my turkey ever so often to ensure the entire turkey absorbs the brine evenly.
• I recommend that you soak your turkey for at least 24 hours. I usually soak mine for about 48 hours. Remember to keep the turkey refrigerated during this process. Also the great thing about this brine is that you can add or delete any spice that you want so feel free to experiment.
• When your ready to roast your turkey, take it out of the brine and give it a quick rise. I like to rub mine with a little butter before I put it in the oven or roaster.
• Enjoy the juiciest turkey you've ever had!

TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Cover a large pot or bucket with a plastic bag and add water, kosher salt, cracked black pepper and bay leaves sage and thyme.
• Stir mixture completely to dissolve salt.
• Place fresh turkey in pot and completely submerge it. Wrap plastic bag around the top of turkey.
• Place in the fridge or a cool area such as your cellar or garage.
• The brining process takes approximately 10-12 hours and is best done the night before the turkey is roasted.