I need a simple brine for a turkey, help?

Answer 1

Brined Turkey

INGREDIENTS:

1 turkey, about 12 pounds

Brine

1 cup sugar

1 1/2-1 3/4 cups kosher salt

2 1/2 gallons cold water

2 bay leaves, torn into pieces

1 bunch fresh thyme

1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled

5 whole allspice berries, crushed

4 juniper berries, smashed (see Note)

Roasting

2 tablespoons softened butter + butter for basting

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

1 cup chicken stock, or more as needed

INSTRUCTIONS: Brining: Clean the turkey by removing the giblet bag, any extra internal fat and any pin feathers. Rinse well under cold tap water.

Combine the sugar, salt and 3 to 4 quarts of water in a large bowl. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, then add the remainder of the brine ingredients except for the remaining 1 1/2 gallons water.

Double-bag two heavy-duty, unscented trash bags (not made of recycled materials), then put them in an ice chest that is large enough to hold the turkey. Place the turkey in the doubled bags, pour in the brine, then the remaining 1 1/2 gallons of water -- there should be enough liquid to completely submerge the bird. Press out all the air in the bags, then tightly close each bag separately. Keep the turkey cold with bags of ice, which will also help keep it submerged in the brine. Brine for 12 to 24 hours.

Alternate method: Instead of using an ice chest, place the turkey and brine in a large pan or bowl and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. If the turkey floats to the top, weight it down with a plate and cans to keep it completely submerged in the brine.

Roasting: Preheat the oven to 400°. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse and dry well. Spread 2 tablespoons softened butter over the skin and sprinkle the pepper over the skin and in the cavity.

Tuck the wing tips under, loosely truss the legs and place the turkey on a V-shaped rack in a roasting pan. Tent the breast with foil and place the turkey in the oven.

Roasting note: To assure that the bird cooks evenly, rotate the roasting pan 180° every 30 minutes while the turkey is in the oven.

Roast for about 1 hour, remove the foil and baste the turkey with 1/2 cup stock. Return to the oven and roast, basting with pan drippings and more stock (if desired) every 20 minutes. Start checking the internal temperature after about 1 hour of roasting time. If the legs begin to get too brown, cover them loosely with foil. Roast the turkey until the internal thigh temperature reaches 165°. Total roasting time should be about 2 to 2 3/4 hours.

Let rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

Serves 6 to 8, with leftovers

Note: Juniper berries are available in the spice section of some supermarkets and specialty grocers.

To adapt our Brined Turkey recipe to accommodate a larger bird.

Bigger birds can be brined following the same recipe, and for the same amount of time (12 to 24 hours). When it comes to cooking, this recipe will work with a turkey that weighs up to 16 pounds. Birds over 16 pounds should be roasted at a lower oven temperature, 350°. Cover the breast tightly with foil for the first half of the cooking time, then remove the foil and baste with stock and pan drippings every 30 or 40 minutes for the remainder of the time. A 22-pound bird should be done in about 3 1/2 hours.

Other readers questioned the 165° internal temperature specified in the recipe.

While most sources recommend cooking poultry to an internal thigh temperature of 180° to 185°, the U.S. Department of Agriculture standards say 160° to 165° will kill contaminants, including salmonella. At 180°, turkey tastes like dry cardboard. At 165°, turkey is moist, juicy and succulent -- without a trace of pink. Plus, the temperature continues to rise several degrees when the turkey is allowed to rest the recommended 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

Answer 2

This is the one I got from Fine Cooking, and I am going to use it, as it looks easy, and does not take up the whole refrigerator to store it in.

How to brine your Thanksgiving bird

Brining is a great way to keep lean meat like turkey moist. Here's how to do it:

Remove the neck, giblets, and tail (save these for stock) and any plastic bits like leg connectors or pop-up timers from the turkey. Rinse the turkey well and put it in two doubled-up turkey-size oven bags. Rub 1 cup of kosher salt on the turkey inside and out. Pour in 1 gallon of cool water and close up the inner bag as tightly as possible with a twist tie. Secure the outer bag with another tie, and gently shake the whole thing around a bit to wet all the salt. Put the bagged turkey in a roasting pan (to catch any leaks) and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, flipping the turkey once or twice. Rinse the turkey well and pat dry with paper towels.

One more note: If you've bought a kosher turkey, there's no need to brine it yourself as it has already been brined during processing.

Answer 3

This is one of Alton Brown's recipes and the one I use every time I cook turkey:
Honey Brine
1 gallon hot water
1 pound kosher salt
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 pound honey
1 (7-pound) bag of ice
1 (15 to 20-pound) turkey, with giblets removed
Vegetable oil, for rubbing turkey

Combine the hot water and the salt in a 54-quart cooler. Stir until the salt dissolves. Stir in the vegetable broth and the honey. Add the ice and stir. Place the turkey in the brine, breast side up, and cover with cooler lid.. Brine overnight, up to 12 hours.

Answer 4

A salt brine is made by putting two containers (the big ones) of non-iodinzied salt in a disposable cooler; putting in the frozen turkey, fill the rest up with water, and let it soak as it thaws.

Answer 5

Martha Stewart made this one the other day on tv:

enough fresh water to totally submerge the turkey,
Add to that, Two stalks of celery, cut into chunks, peel from one lemon, shaved off with a peeler, one chopped onion, one chopped carrot, two bay leaves, and 2 cups of salt.
Bring to boil for five minutes. Let cool to room temperature and submerge turkey into water (breast side down)for up to 24 hours.
I have done this before. It makes a LOT of positive difference.
Goodl luck
Clarkie