Brined Turkey
- Joe S.
- Nov 10, 2021
- 3 min read
A delicious and easy to make juicy turkey, brined and roasted to perfection!
Prep time: 30 minutes
Resting Time: 12 to 48 hours
Cooking time: varies from 2.5 hours to 6 hours
Yield depends on the size of the turkey
Gluten/Dairy/Soy/Nut
It is that time of the year again: Holidays Season!!! Lots of cooking and hungry mouths to feed! But don't worry...I am here to help with the most important part of dinner and center piece: the turkey!
This beautiful turkey packs a lot of flavor and has a succulent crispy skin. It is just perfect!
Cooking a turkey is really not that hard. I only requires patience and time. This recipe is so simple that anyone can do it, and the final results are just visually stunning and spectacularly delicious!
The herbs and lemons used on this recipe is what makes it so flavorful. The best part is that all the herbs are very easily found in your fridge or at your local grocers.
What is the flavor profile?
Herbaceous, tangy, aromatic, savory, and a hint of spicy.
What ingredients will I need to make this turkey?
Fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme), lemons, garlic, garlic powder, ground sage, onion powder, paprika, sea salt, black pepper, crushed pepper flakes, olive oil, and of course...a whole turkey.
For the brine you will need: yellow onions, garlic, oranges, water, salt, black pepper, brown sugar, bay leaves, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, fresh sage, cumin seeds,
What else will i need to make this?
A large mixing bowl or pot to brine the turney in, a large turkey pan with a rack, measuring cups and spoons, a cutting board, a knife, a small container to mix the rub in, and aluminum foil.
Can I make substitutions?
Yes. You can substitute the sea salt with kosher salt, the paprika with smoked paprika, and the olive oil with vegetable oil.
Some Useful Information
What is a Brining?
In food processing, brining is treating food with brine or coarse salt which preserves and seasons the food while enhancing tenderness and flavor with additions such as herbs, spices, sugar, caramel and/or vinegar. Meat and fish are typically brined for less than twenty-four hours while vegetables, cheeses and fruit are brined in a much longer process known as pickling.
Brining is similar to marination, except that a marinade usually includes a significant amount of acid, such as vinegar or citrus juice. Brining is also similar to curing, which usually involves significantly drying the food, and is done over a much longer time period.
INGREDIENTS
Brine Ingredients
2 large yellow onions, unpeeled and halved
4 heads of garlic, unpeeled and halved
2 oranges, halved
8 to 12 cups of cold water
1 cup of salt
1/2 cup of black pepper
1 cup of brown sugar
4 bay leaves
fresh parsley
fresh thyme
fresh sage
2 tablespoons of cumin seeds
Rub Ingredients
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
3 sprigs of fresh sage
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 tablespoons of garlic powder
3 tablespoons of onion powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon of ground sage
8 tablespoons sea salt
3 tablespoons of black pepper
1 teaspoon of crushed pepper flakes
Other Ingredients
A whole turkey
3 lemons
3 heads of garlic
8 cloves of garlic (peeled)
Olive oil
Method for the Brine
Place all the ingredients for the brine into a large pot over medium heat.
Slowly bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat.
Add enough ice to shock and cool the hot brine. Make sure you add the ice in increments. Once you see the ice is not melting, stop adding ice.
Transfer the brine into the container you will use to brine the turkey in.
Slowly place the turkey in the container. Make sure the brine is at least 1" above the turkey.
Place in the refrigerator and let it rest anywhere from 12 to 48 hours. Do not freeze. Once the time it's up, remove the turkey and discard the brine.
Method for the Rub
Chop fresh rosemary, thyme and sage.
In a bowl add the chopped herbs and the rest of the ingredients.
Mix well.
Double the quantity of the prepared rub for fowls over 16 pounds.
Method for the Turkey
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Pat dry turkey with paper towels.
Rub turkey generously with Olive oil.
Halve the lemons and garlic heads.
Fill turkey cavity with at least 3 tablespoons of the rub.
Insert all lemons and garlic head inside the cavity.
Apply the rest of the rub all over the turkey.
With a knife make small incisions in the turkey and insert a garlic clove in each incision.
Place turkey in baking/roasting dish with a rack and bake according to the instructions on the chart below.
After the time is up or the turkey's interior temperature reaches 165° F , remove the turkey from the oven and cover with tin foil, allowing it to rest until serving time.
Enjoy!!!
Printable Recipe (PDF) below:
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