APPLE CIDER TURKEY BRINE RECIPES

Steps:

• In a 3-4 quart saucepan, combine cider with salt, sugar, ginger, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and allspice; stir to dissolve salt.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 3-4 minutes; remove from heat, add 4 cups of ice water and set aside to cool.
• Line a heavy roasting pan with turkey-sized oven cooking bags (which should be double-layered).
• Remove the turkey from it's wrapping, remove neck and giblets (store separately), and rinse and prepare bird.
• Stuff cavity with orange quarters.
• Make a collar of the top of cooking bags (helps keep bags open), and slip bird inside, stand it upright (legs pointing up), and unfold the top of the bag.
• Pour the brine over the bird, and add an additional 2 cups of water.
• Draw up the first inner bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, and secure with a twist-tie; do the same for the outer bag.
• Place the turkey, breast side down, in the roasting pan and refrigerate for 12-24 hours, turning 3-4 times while brining.
• Just prior to roasting, remove the turkey from the brine; discard the bags, brine, and all cured herbs, spices, and oranges remaining in the bird.
• Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry with paper toweling.
• Air-dry turkey under refrigeration for 4-6 hours (before cooking) for a crispier crust when roasting.
• The turkey is now ready to be roasted.

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Turn off heat, cover and allow the brine to cool completely.  Place the uncooked turkey in a large brining bag or pot, pour in the brine solution to cover the turkey, and refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.  Before roasting, remove the turkey from the brine (discard the brine) and submerge the turkey in a pot or sink filled with fresh, cold water for 15 minutes. This removes excess salt from the outside.  Remove the turkey from the water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.