Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
A couple of years ago, someone told me about brining the turkey before you cook it. We tried it and the results were great! Everyone likes the moist tender meat it makes. Here is the recipe and method we used:
Honey Turkey Brine
- 2 1/2 gallons water
- 3 cups kosher salt
- 6 Tbsp Morton Tender Quick
- 3 cups honey
- 10 bay leaves
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 1/2 tsp pickling spices
Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and heat to 160 degrees. Don't go over that because higher temperatures will harm the honey flavor. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
This is enough to do a 11-12 lb turkey. You may need more brine depending on the size of your turkey and what you soak it in.
We use a cooler to brine the turkey. It just needs to be large enough to hold the turkey and enough brine to cover (you may have to increase or be able to reduce the amout of brine depending on the size of your turkey and cooler. The turkey needs to soak in the brine at least overnight, so it is important to put ice in the water to while it brines to keep the turkey from spoiling.
I suggest making the brine Tuesday evening or very first thing Wednesday morning, giving it plenty of time to cool to room temperature. Put the turkey into your cooler Wednesday afternoon or evening. Be sure to put ice in the cooler as well (that's the reason it's 2 1/2 gallons of water in the recipe, allows for about 2 quarts of ice which melts and adds to the water). Be sure to check the turkey to make sure all the ice hasn't melted. If it has, add more ice in zip-lock bags, so that the melted ice doesn't add additional water to the brine. I find it helpful to freeze large containers of water to make large ice blocks–they tend to last longer.
Cook the turkey normally and see if it isn't one of the best cooked turkeys you have ever had!
