bonglonglong

Gobble, gobble.  Since I received two phone calls within two hours asking how to brine a turkey, I guess it's about time to post a recipe.

HOW TO BRINE A TURKEY

Ingredients:

1 gallon apple cider vinegar

1 gallon apple cider

1 box Morton's Kosher salt

water

1-2 bags of ice

ice chest large enough to hold the turkey

Begin by determining how much liquid will be needed to cover the turkey.  Put the turkey (still in its package) into the ice chest.  Fill the ice chest with water until the bird is covered by an inch of water.  Remove the bird.  Measure the amount of water remaining in the ice chest.  (If there's a spout in the bottom, just drain the water off into an empty milk carton to determine the number of gallons.)

The ratio of salt to liquid for the brine is 1 cup to 1 gallon.  The day before brining, bring 2 quarts of apple cider to a boil and add the amount of salt needed to achieve a 1 cup-to-1 gallon ratio for the total gallons of liquid needed to cover the bird in the ice chest.  Stir to dissolve and remove from heat.  Add the remaining apple cider to the mix to cool it.  Pour the salted cider back into its gallon container and place it and the gallon of apple cider vinegar in the fridge to chill overnight.

6-8 hours before baking, place the thawed bird into the ice chest.  Add the salted cider, the vinegar, and enough water to the chest to raise the liquid an inch above the bird.  Lay a sack of ice on top of the bird to keep it submerged and to keep the brine cold.  Close the ice chest and let the bird sit for 6-8 hours.  (6 hours is best for your first brining, you can increase to 8 hours or more based on your taste preference.)  Rattle the chest vigorously at least once during the brining process to ensure the free movement of brine into the bird cavity.

After brining has completed, remove the bird and pat it dry with paper towels.  Take aluminum foil and press it firmly around each leg to form a heat shield.  Cut a square of foil and fold it in half to make a triangle and press the triangle over the turkey breast to form a shield.  Remove the foil shields and lay them in a safe place beside the oven to use later.

Rub canola oil all over the bird, inside and out.  Stuff the cavity with sliced apples and fresh rosemary and thyme.  Bake in a 500 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350.  Place shields onto legs and breast and push a meat thermometer through the foil into the thickest part of the turkey breast, careful to avoid it contacting the bone.  Return the turkey to the 350 degree oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 161 degrees.

Total cooking time will be around 2 hours for a 14 pound bird but could take longer or shorter depending on the amount of moisture in the bird.

After removing from the oven, cover loosely with foil and let the bird sit for at least 15 minutes before carving.