BASIC TURKEY BRINE RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Makes 1 quart- make up additional amounts of brine if needed until meat is submerged.
• Stir ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Continue stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Allow to cool.
• Place meat or poultry in a food safe plastic bag inside another container for support and leakage control (oven roasting bags are a fine choice- NOT garbage bags).
• Pour cooled brine into bag, and squeeze out as much air as possible and seal with a twistie tie.
• Refrigerate for 3-4 hours for 3 pounds meat (such as pork ribs), 5-6 hours for a nice roasting hen, or 12-24 hours for a turkey, 12 hours being for a small one and the longer time for those turkeys around 20+ pounds.
• Discard brine before using and pat meat dry.
• If using poultry, you may want to add citrus fruit such as oranges or lemons, additional fresh herbs, or cloves of garlic into the cavity.
• Prepare meat as desired- roast, bbq, etc.

Steps:

• Combine salt, sugar, aromatics and 1/2 gallon (8 cups) of water in a large pot and place over medium-high heat.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stir in an additional 1/2 gallon cold water (or water and ice) and cool completely.
• Pour brine into a container just large enough to hold turkey comfortably. (A 4- or 5-gallon vessel should be good for a 10- to 12-pound turkey.)
• Add turkey; add a little more water or ice to submerge it if necessary.
• Turn bird a few times and then leave breast-side down in the water; place a heavy plate over the poultry if it floats.
• Chill 5 to 6 hours. Remove bird from brine, discard brine and roast as directed.
• Three Twists:
  
  Smoky Brine
  Use smoked coarse sea salt in place of the kosher salt.
  
  Beer Brine
  Replace the water with lager beer.
  
  Spiced Cider Brine
  Use apple cider instead of water. Add zest of 1 orange removed in strips with a vegetable peeler, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 teaspoon whole cloves with the aromatics.