Turkey Brine

If you aren’t brining your turkey (or chicken) you are wrong. Letting your bird relax in a salt and sugar bath for 12-48 hours seals in the juices and creates that crispy skin your table has been dreaming of.

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup white salt

• 1 cup pink himalayan salt (you can substitute regular white salt or other salt if you don’t have this handy)

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup dried parsley (fresh is always good too, just throw some bunches in the pot)

• 3 tablespoons garlic, fresh, dried, whatever, just use garlic

• 2 tablespoons dried or powdered onion

• 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns

• 1 tablespoon whole cloves (optional)

• 4-5 bay leaves

• Any other herbs you like, thyme, rosemary, whatever floats your boat

• 2-3 oranges, cut into slices

• 1 bag cranberries (fresh or dried, either is fine)

• A pot big enough to fit your turkey or chicken

• Water to fill

The process:

Bring about 4-6 cups of water to a boil in a pot that your turkey is NOT going into.

In the pot your turkey is going to live in for the next 12-48 hours, mix all the ingredients except the oranges and cranberries, and add any other herbs you like.

Once the water is boiling (or close to it), carefully poor the hot water into the salty brine mix and stir until the brine is dissolved, or at least mostly dissolved. Add in cold water until the pot is about 1/3 full. Don’t skip this step, you don’t want the water to be hot and start cooking the turkey! If you need to let the water sit until its room temp-ish, do that. But don’t over fill the pot, the turkey will displace A LOT of the water.

Once the water is no longer hot, add the turkey to the brine and add enough water to cover the turkey. Add in the oranges and the cranberries crushing them a little bit to release the juices, stir until combined. The fruits will float to the top, that’s ok.

Let the bird bathe for 12-48 hours in the brine. When ready to cook, remove from the brine and RINSE IT OFF! Inside and out, you don’t want to only taste salt. I promise the flavor will still be there. Do NOT add more salt, just garnish with what you normally do, but please, do not put salt on it. She’s salty enough now.

I like to slather mine with a garlic/herb butter, stuff the cavity with more herbs and oranges, put a little chicken stock in the bottom of the pan and cook, basting every 1/2 hour or so with the juices from the bottom of the roasting pan.

Make sure to let this bad boy rest for at least 20 minutes after it is done and out of the oven before carving, this will keep it juicy.

Enjoy!