Sugar Free Citrus Turkey Brine Food

MY FAVORITE TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Combine 2 gallons cold water with the apple cider, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, rosemary and orange peels in a large pot. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and cover.
• Allow to cool completely, then place into the fridge to chill. Place uncooked turkey in the chilled brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.
• When ready to roast the turkey, remove from the brine. Submerge the turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside.
• Discard the brine. Remove the turkey from the clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

CITRUS TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Rub salt onto your turkey, and place remaining salt, lemons, oranges, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and pepper into a large pot. Place the turkey in the pot, and fill with water. Refrigerate overnight. Discard brine after removing turkey.

CITRUS-SCENTED BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• Mince five garlic cloves; halve the remaining garlic cloves and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the apple juice, salt, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, bay leaves and minced garlic. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from the heat. Add cold water to cool the brine to room temperature., Remove giblets from turkey and discard. Place a turkey-size oven roasting bag inside a second roasting bag; add turkey. Carefully pour cooled brine into bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible; seal bags and turn to coat. Place in a roasting pan. Refrigerate for 18-24 hours, turning several times., Drain and discard brine. Rinse turkey under cold water; pat dry. Place the lemon, orange, onion, thyme and reserved garlic in both cavities. Rub oil over skin. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together. , Place turkey breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 4 to 4-1/2 hours or until a thermometer reads 160° (cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly). Let stand for 15 minutes before removing contents from cavities and carving the turkey.

SUGAR FREE CITRUS TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Rinse the turkey, inside and out, and set aside. Place the plastic bag into the cooler, and open out the bag.
• Pour the water into the plastic bag, and add the salt; smush the bag around several times with your fingers to dissolve the salt. Squeeze juice from the orange, lemon, and clementine chunks into the salty water, and drop the chunks into the bag. Mix in the rosemary and thyme, and place the turkey into the brine with the breast side down. Close the bag, squeeze out excess air, and tightly seal; close lid of the cooler, and place in a refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Remove turkey from the brine, and retain 4 or 5 chunks each of navel orange and lemon and the sprigs of rosemary and thyme from the brine. Discard remainder of used brine. Rinse the entire turkey, inside and out, and place into a roasting pan.
• Place the pieces of fruit and herb sprigs into the cavity of the turkey. Loosen the skin over the breast with your fingers, and spread butter over the breast underneath the skin. Rub the entire turkey with olive oil, and sprinkle with poultry seasoning and black pepper. If desired, cover the breast of the turkey with foil.
• Roast in the preheated oven until the turkey is golden brown and the juices run clear, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Remove foil for last 30 to 45 minutes of baking. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh should read at least 165 degrees F (75 degrees C).