Turkey: To Brine or Not to Brine?

November 19, 2020

For the most tender, flavorful turkey, brine your bird this year. Here’s how.

Ingredients

6-10 poundturkey (or chicken)

3 cupsapple cider (or juice)

2 gallonscold water

4 tablespoonsfresh rosemary leaves (or 2 tablespoons dried)

5cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cupskosher salt

2 cupsbrown sugar

3 tablespoonsblack peppercorns

2cinnamon sticks

6juniper berries (optional)

5whole bay leaves

peel of 3 oranges

Preparation

To brine or not to brine? In short, yes. Brining is basically the act of soaking a meat (i.e. turkey) in a very salty solution for a specific amount of time, long enough for the flavor to penetrate the food, usually at least 8 hours. The absorption of the brine changes the molecular structure of the bird, tenderizing it, hence making it juicier and more flavorful. The sugar and the flavoring help add depth of flavor, making you look like a real bona fide chef.

As a rule of thumb, brine only fresh or high quality birds. Most grocery store frozen turkeys have already been injected with a salt solution. So is it worth it to brine a Butterball turkey? Absolutely, just reduce the salt in the brine to ½ cup. Secondly, using drippings from a brined turkey for gravy can sometimes make it a little too salty. Just be careful and taste your gravy before seasoning if you so choose to use the drippings.

This will brine an 8-10 pound bird and, of course, anything smaller.

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and stir to dissolve. Bring mixture to a boil, turn off heat, cover, and allow to cool completely.

2. Place uncooked turkey into brine and refrigerate 16 to 24 hours. When ready to roast, remove turkey from brine and rinse to remove any excess salt. Discard brine and place bird in roasting pan. Roast according to your favorite method. (20 minutes per pound is generally recommended.)