Brined Roast Turkey

by Adrian Rodriguez November 25, 2015 | Holiday Recipes, Recipes, Thanksgiving No Comments

Brined Roast Turkey

Brining definitely makes for a flavorful turkey, and it helps to keep it moist. It takes a little more prep time, but it’s well worth the effort.

Ingredients

Turkey (whole)
2 gal Water (or vegetable stock)
Garlic (5 cloves)
Peppercorns (1-2 tablespoons)
1 cup Kosher salt (½ cup per gallon of water)
½ cup Dark brown sugar
Lemon

Ginger (about the size of 5 cloves of garlic)
Sage (a whole sprig with the leaves)
Thyme (several sprigs)
Rosemary (several sprigs)
Bay leaves (2-3)
White wine

Directions

Start by dissolving your salt and brown sugar into your water. The number of gallons of brine that you’ll need depends on the size of your turkey, and the size of your brining container. So, you might start by preparing a gallon of it first, then make more as needed.

Next, add your other ingredients to the brine (rough chopped is fine).

Remove any innards and add your turkey, breast-side down, to your container, and cover it with your brine. If you’re able to cover your entire turkey with brine, that’s great. But, if you have a little of the turkey that’s uncovered, just flip it in the brine midway through the process to make sure that the whole turkey is brined.

Next, cover the container and let it sit in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.

When the brining is complete, remove the turkey (you can discard the brine), rinse it really well, and pat it dry.

Next, drizzle with lemon juice and white wine, then add the lemon rinds, along with sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and sage to the cavity. Add a bit more white wine and water to the bottom of the pan as well.

Bake the turkey in a preheated, 350 degree oven, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

When the turkey is done, let it rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.

Dish and Photo by Adrian Rodriguez