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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Citrus Turkey Brine

I have made my own brine for the last few years now. We will always brine our turkeys. I believe many of you know Pete and I have a love for the Pioneer Women :) So when I was going to make a turkey this year, I decided to try her brine. Glad we did!

Pioneer Woman Brine
Ingredients
  • 3 cups Apple Juice Or Apple Cider
  • 2 gallons Cold Water
  • 4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves
  • 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 1-1/2 cup Kosher Salt
  • 2 cups Brown Sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons Peppercorns
  • 5 whole Bay Leaves
  • Peel Of Three Large Oranges


Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot(a very large pot). Stir
    until salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover.
2. Allow to cool completely(this will take a few hours), then pour into a large brining bag or bucket. 
    Place uncooked turkey in brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours. Since it's cold enough 
    in Maine, we usually just place it outside to save space in the fridge.
3. When ready to roast turkey, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot on in a clean sink
    with fresh cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the
    outside. Discard brine. Remove turkey from water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal
    roasting method.

5 comments:

  1. Hi. Is the turkey thawed when you place it in the brine?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, turkey must be thawed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pioneer Woman recommends only doing this with a fresh turkey. Since frozen turkeys have lots of salt already in them.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Do you have a recipe for how you smoke your turkey?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Can I take my turkey out of the brine, rinse it and let it set overnight before cooking it?

    ReplyDelete