Ok so you have never brined a turkey right? Or anything for that matter. Well guess what, this is one of those things your going to wonder why on earth you never tried it before. Its easy, doesn’t take as long as you think, and with little preparation you will have a heck of a delicious turkey that people will be bowing down and kissing your lil toes for the luxury of a great thanksgiving.
Now you must forgive me, I was busy in the kitchen today taking mad pictures and cooking multiple turkey day items and realized when all was said and done I hadnt gotten any prep photos of my brine or during it so…one picture is all you get but mostly its just throwing a bunch of spices and seasonings in water so your good trust me!
- 1 cup of kosher/coarse salt
- 1/2 cup of light brown sugar – packed
- 5 large bay leaves
- 2 tb of black pepper corns
- 1 tb of powdered garlic
- 1 tb of dried rosemary
- 1 tb of rubbed sage
- 1 tb crushed coriander
Bring 2 quarts of cold water to a boil in a large stock pot.
Add all of your ingredients to your pot. Stir until dissolved completely. Remove from the heat. Add 2 more quarts of cold water. Stir. Let sit to cool. Put in the fridge or add ice to completely cool down the brine. We dont want no stinking warm brine trying to cook our lil birdie.
Now…get yourself a huge brining bag or a huge plastic bag for say sweaters and put ur lil guy in the plastic bag. Put your bag (turkey dude in tow) into a new stock pot or can or something that will hold your turkey but fit in your fridge. Now pour all your brine over the dude and then seal him shut. Put him in the fridge so he sleeps in a blissfully happy brine bath till your ready to cook him. Be sure to rinse him very very well before cooking him and pat him dry. Cooking that lil guy is next!
Where’s the picture you say??? Well here is a quick look at my brine in my stock pot. Nothing special but man it can work some serious magic on our lil dude. He be one way happy dude tomorrow!
