Apple Orange Rosemary Turkey Brine 12# - 15# bird
Ingredients
- 32 ounce bottle Knudsen Cider and Spice Juice
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- Peel of 3 oranges
- 1-1/4 cups course sea salt
- 1-1/2 cups good maple syrup
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- Large handful of fresh rosemary
- 5 bay leaves
- 3 tbsp whole peppercorns
- 1 tbsp hot smoked paprika or gojuchang powder
- 20 cups water
Instructions
-
Combine all ingredients in a large pot, and simmer until salt is dissolved
-
Let cool, and immerse bird breast side down into brine
-
If needed, add just enough water to submerge bird
-
Cover and refrigerate for about 12 hours, turning bird half way through brining
-
Remove from brine, and pat dry with paper towels
Recipe Notes
Roasted Brined Thanksgiving Turkey
Tips for the perfectly cooked turkey:
Place bird on rack in baking pan and refrigerate several hours to dry out skin
Rub skin and cavity with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and ground pepper
Stuff cavity with chopped orange flesh reserved from oranges that were peeled for brine, and add a handful of fresh rosemary, and a few cloves of chopped garlic
Bake at 350 degrees, about 20 minutes per pound, until minimum internal temperature achieves 165 degrees F
If skin begins to get too brown at any time during baking, tent the bird with foil
Let turkey rest for about 20 minutes before carving
*I prefer extra virgin olive oil over butter to rub on the bird. The skin will be crispier because butter also contains about 20% water, while the olive oil has none