How To Brine A Turkey Food

DRY-BRINED ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• The day before, remove the giblets from the turkey cavity and pat dry with paper towels.
• Combine the salt, sugar and pepper in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the mixture inside the turkey cavity and all over the outside skin, using all of it. Put the turkey on a large baking sheet or platter and refrigerate uncovered overnight.
• The next day, adjust a rack in the oven to the lowest position and remove the other racks. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Set a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
• Rinse the turkey very well and pat dry thoroughly. Stuff the cavity with the herbs, bay leaves, garlic and onion. Put the turkey on the roasting rack, breast-side up, and brush with half of the butter. Tent with aluminum foil.
• Roast the turkey for 2 hours, then remove the foil and brush with the remaining butter. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 45 minutes more. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes, then remove and discard the herbs, bay leaves, garlic and onion before carving.

BIG, BRINED HERBY TURKEY

Steps:

• Brine the turkey: Combine 2 gallons water with the salt, sugar, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary, sage, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves and crushed red pepper in a container large enough to accommodate all the ingredients and the turkey. Stir to combine. Submerge the turkey in the brine and refrigerate for 3 days.
• The night before you roast the bird, remove it from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels. Make the herb butter: In a small bowl, combine the butter, rosemary, sage and some salt. Using your fingers, carefully work your way under the skin of the turkey to separate it from the breasts and legs. Massage the butter under the skin, then all over the bird. This acts like suntan lotion to create a lovely, crispy brown skin. Tie the turkey legs together with twine to keep the bird nice and compact for even cooking.
• In your roasting pan, for the gravy, combine the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme bundle and bay leaves. Season with salt. Plunk the turkey on top of the veggies and put it in the fridge overnight uncovered. Yes, that's right...uncovered. This allows the skin of the turkey to dry out, which will create a gorgeous brown crispy skin. Now a bunch of your prep work is out of the way, so all you have to do tomorrow is toss the turkey in the oven!
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Pour the wine into the roasting pan and put the turkey in the screaming-hot oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until it becomes beautifully browned. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. Baste with the pan juices and rotate the pan every 30 minutes for the remainder of the cooking time; think 17 minutes per pound...you do the math. If the turkey starts to get too brown, tent it loosely with foil.
• Remove the turkey from the oven when an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. (Be sure the thermometer is not touching a bone.) Transfer it to a rimmed baking sheet, cover with foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
• Make the gravy: Using a mesh strainer, strain the veggies out of the pan juices over a large bowl and allow the fat to rise to the top. Discard the veggies. Skim the fat from the pan juices, add it to a large saucepot and bring it to medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until it has the consistency of wet sand, 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk the pan juices and stock into the flour mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until it is thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy.

HOW TO BRINE AND ROAST A TURKEY

Steps:

• Mix in a plastic container or stockpot until dissolved.
• Makes 1 gallon of brining solution.
• Salinity differs!
• Determine the amount of brine needed to cover a 12-14 pound whole turkey.
• Tips: Start brining method the day before you plan to cook the turkey.
• Use a fresh or completely thawed turkey.
• Wash the bird inside and out and remove the giblet bag and neck.
• (Save for Giblet Gravy) In a large stockpot, plastic tub or cooler mix up brine and stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
• Place the turkey in the brine solution, breast down.
• Cover and chill for 6 to 8 hours.
• If you brine overnight reduce the salt and sugar by half so the turkey does not retain too much salt.
• Remove the turkey from brine, rinse inside and out under cold running water.
• Pat dry with paper towels.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place turkey on shallow roasting pan.
• Tie legs together and tuck wings underneath the bird.
• Coat the skin with butter or olive oil.
• Cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil.
• Add 1 cup water to bottom of pan.
• Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the turkey.
• Check the wrapper to see how much the turkey weighs and determine the approximately.
• cooking time Roast the turkey until temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees or thigh juices run clear when pierced with a fork.
• During the last 1 to 1 1/2 hours of cooking time remove the aluminum foil from the breast and baste with pan juices to encourage browning.
• When the turkey is done, (180 F), allow it to set 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to saturate the meat evenly.
• Cooking time: A 12-pound turkey will take about 3 hours and 15 minutes to roast.
• Add 15 minutes for each additional pound.

TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Combine 2 quarts of water in a 6 quart pot with salt and sugar, over high heat until dissolved.
• If wanted, add other seasonings at this time.
• Let come back to room temperature.
• You will need 2 gallon turkey size oven roasting bags.
• Place one roasting bag inside the other, roll down the edges of the bags to help them stay open.
• Put bags in a heavy roasting pan that will hold turkey.
• Place turkey breast side down, with legs facing you in the inner bag.
• Some help from another person at this point would be of help, they can hold the bags open for you as you pour the cooled brine into the cavity and over the turkey.
• Gather the inner bag as tightly as possible and secure with a twist tie.
• Secure outer bag with twist tie.
• Refrigerate in the roasting pan for 12-18 hours.
• Remove from bags, rinse very well, pat dry with paper towels.
• It's now ready for your favorite recipe.

TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Fill a large container or stock pot with 1.5 litres cold water and set aside. The pot should be large enough to hold your turkey plus 3 litres water. Pour another 1.5 litres cold water into a large pan over a low-medium heat. Tip in the salt, sugar, bay, thyme, peppercorns, orange zest and coriander seeds, and whisk until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved. Remove from the heat, then pour into the container or stock pot and leave to cool completely.
• Weigh the turkey and carefully add it to the container, ensuring it's completely submerged in the brine. Leave to brine for roughly 1 hr per 500g to ensure succulent meat and a flavourful bird, then drain well (discarding the aromatics), pat dry and roast.

HOW TO BRINE A GINORMOUS TURKEY

Steps:

• Line a big picnic cooler with a food grade plastic bag.
• Boil water and salt together until all salt is dissolved and cool in fridge several hours.
• Wash turkey inside and out and place into cooler. Add your optional add-ins to the cooled brine and cover turkey with ice and pour brine over all. Let turkey brine overnight making sure the cooler stays closed and adding ice if needed.
• Rinse bird and continue with your recipe . Your turkey will be moist, flavorful and tender!