Turkey Time!

[JustCallMeDave]

As I'm getting back into cooking the big bird this year I had to go find the brining recipe that I had used a few years ago to stunning success. Here it is for those who want the juiciest, most flavorful turkey ever:

1 1/2 cups, KOSHER salt (not regular, use Kosher)
1 1/4 cups, brown sugar
10 whole cloves
3 teaspoons, black peppercorns
1 1/2 gallons (6 quarts) apple juice or cider (non-alcoholic)
The peel from one orange or one tangerine (colored part only - not white pith)
Optional: 3 teaspoons, dried thyme and/or 3 teaspoons, dried sage

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive pot, bring mixture to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes (partly covered). Allow brine to cool completely.

Rinse turkey under cool running water, inside and out (remove giblets from body cavity - but reserve them, if desired, for giblet gravy).

Pat turkey dry with paper towels, then immerse turkey in cooled brine. Turkey should be COMPLETELY submerged in liquid (place a plate on top of the bird if necessary to keep it covered with the liquid).

Cover the pot and refrigerate for at least 8-10 hours, up to 24 hours.

Remove turkey, rinse, pat dry, and roast as usual.

Let the roast sit at room temperature for at least 1/2 an hour prior to carving.

Note: *Be sure that the container for the turkey in brine is non-reactive: use enamel, glass, crockery, stainless steel, even a plastic bucket - never cast iron or aluminum. The pot should be just large enough to contain the turkey (so the brine will be sufficient to cover the bird).

[Fast Water]

Printed this one. Thanks Dave.

It's not my year to cook Thanksgiving dinner so it will have to wait a bit. Gotta try it though.

:smash:

[Fshklr]

Sounds very tasty!! We ended up with a couple extra birds so after Christmas we'll give this a go!!!

Thanks Dave

[need one]

I tried this brining recipe/technique with outstanding results yesterday. I only left the bird in the brine for about 10 hours though, and now I want to try it after brining longer. Also wondering if you ever inject any of the brine into the fleshy parts? I used to work for a butcher about a hundred years ago and I had to use a big stainless syringe for big smoker-bound stuff.

[RODACTION]

JCMD....I used your brine for our Thanksgiving Turkey...it turned out great. Everyone loved the flavor. Thanks :cheers: my 21lb bird was in the brine for 20hours.

[Fishstix]

Do you think the brine will work for smoking a turkey?

[WyEm]

Yes, brining works for smoking turkeys too. I brine all my turkeys if they aren't butterball preinjected birds. A brine makes the meat juicier thru osmosis. I'll never cook a turkey in the oven again, not when I can bbq it on either my kettle or Weber Smokey Mountain cooker. Cherry wood is my favorite.

[Fast Water]

Dave,

Congrats on the recipe. I cooked a large chicken tonight using your idea and it was just great. :food:

I had an 8 hour soak and used and rice, onion and sage stuffing for the bird as well.

This recipie will go on permanent file at our house.

:food:

[JustCallMeDave]

Good point Mark. Brining is also an excellent way to cook up chicken or any poultry for that matter. It really does make the best of the bird come out.

A side tip: those of you like me who don't go through enough cloves to make it worthwhile to buy a whole bottle for $10 (or a half bottle for $8???) should go into the Mexican food section of your supermarket and look for the small cellophane packages of spices. I was able to find a small package with more than enough for this recipe three times over for ninety nine cents.

[need one]

brewin' the brine!!
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/ttime.jpg

[JustCallMeDave]

Okay, turkeys. It's time to buy the ingredients for the brine! Cook it up tomorrow, let it cool overnight, and get that turkey soaking.

[EvilD]

OK. I just wanted to say I tried this recipe for 2 gooses(geese?). I added a 4hour salt soak first. Needless to say, simply phenomenal. THANKS for the recipe.


D

[Beginners luck]

Any special considerations for Deep Frying a bird?

[Rabid Fisherman]

Any special considerations for Deep Frying a bird?

Deep fried is much better following the above brining

[yankemnbankem]

I am going to try this again this year.... hopefully my traeger wont break like last year leaving the cat with a marvelous dish.:meme:

[OceanBlue]

Ferget the brine. remove giblets, wash, pat dry, rub a generous helping of Traeger chicken rub all over it and throw it in the traeger on smoke for about 12 hours. If the bird isn't already at the 155 mark or so at the end of 12 hours, kick the grill up to about 250 until the internal temp up to 155, remove from smoker, place on platter or tray, cover tightly with foil and let stand 30-60 minutes. guaranteed to be the talk of turkey day.

[JustCallMeDave]

Brine is cheaper than a Traeger. :)

[Jennie@ifish]

Jen, brine WITH a traeger, AND with their chicken rub is AWESOME!

[JustCallMeDave]

Just be careful about cooking times. Brined turkeys take shorter time to cook.

[sukor lihp]

I am going to just call you CHEF Dave.I followed your recipe,but smoked it for 6 hours at 200,then brought temp up 320 until internal temp hit 165. Fell off the bone,incredible edible:applause::flowered: Thanks for the recipe!

[Fshklr]

Bump...Tis the Season :wink:

[snohog]

Thanks for bumping this........... Im going to try this with a smoker.

[bcline76]

Just hosted my annual Thanksgiving in June and used this brine. WOW! Came out perfectly!! Best turkey I've ever had.

[langararocks]

Nothing better than Trager turkey.

Dave thats a great looking brine, I have done the Thanksgiving bird the last 5yrs in the Traeger. Here's a recipe that I have used with great success. I have modifed it some for the Traeger. The brine, stuffing and rub work well. .

Heres the recipe (http://www.knight-tv.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=358&Itemid=78)


And why do one,
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_0253.JPG (http://www.ifish.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/142636)

BTW lots of good ideas here (http://www.knight-tv.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=20&Itemid=78)

[Natester]

Bump for the season, I brine and smoke on the Treager every year delicious!!

:meme::applause: :food:

[Justinfish]

thanks for the bump Ill be using this one for this yrs bird. :applause::flag2: