Holiday Turkey Brine
[ratings]
Servings: 1 12lb Turkey
Calories:
Equipment
- Brining Container: Large Brining Bag, Large Tupperware Container - something to keep your turkey fully submerged in liquid.
Ingredients
- 12 lb Turkey (or smaller)
- 1 Gallon Water (16 cups), divided
- 7.7 oz Kosher Salt (Just under 1 cup)
- 1 handful Peppercorns, fresh Thyme, fresh Parsley, & 1 Bay Leaf
- ½ Orange - Chopped into chunks
- ½ Lemon - Chopped into chunks
- 1 Carrot - Chopped into chunks
- 1 Onion - Chopped into chunks
- 1 Celery Stick - Chopped into chunks
Instructions
- Clean out the turkey, remove the neck, and packet of giblets. Set aside.
- In a large pot, add 8 cups of water, all of the salt and all of the ingredients (except the turkey).
- Bring up to a boil until all of the salt is dissolved. Turn down to a simmer for 5 minutes.Take off it off the heat and let it cool down, to the pot, add the rest of the 8 cups of ice- cold water.
- Once the brining liquid is lukewarm or colder it’s ready!In your brining bag or large container, put in your turkey and pour the brining solution over the turkey. The turkey should be fully submerged in the liquid.Pro tip – place your bird breast side down so that it is easier to have that of the bird fully submerged.
- Place your turkey bag on a sheet pan and put on the lowest level in your refrigerator (should your bag leak you don’t want it to drip onto anything else, that is why I suggest the sheet pan and the lowest level).Let your bird brine 18-24 hours. See roasting instructions below.
