How to Brine and Roast the Perfect Turkey
If you’ve ever wondered How to Brine a Turkey, look no further. A brined turkey adds flavor and will stay juicy during the entire cooking process! No more dried out turkey! As an added bonus, did you know that a brined turkey also cooks faster making it a quick AND delicious Holiday meal!
Brining your turkey will help it retain moisture while cooking. It also breaks down some of those tough muscle proteins and infuses extra flavor — much like a marinade, but on a whole-bird scale. The result is the tender, moist turkey of your culinary dreams!
What does “brine a turkey” mean?
A brine is basically a salt water bath for your turkey. This serves three main purposes:
- A brine tenderizes the meat by unraveling and breaking down some protein chains
- The brine moisturizes the turkey because the water used in the brine fills in the spaces between the salt-elongated protein chains
- Brining enhances the flavor of the turkey due to the herbs and other seasonings typically included in a brine. Most brines require a 12 – 24 hours.
Brining and roasting a turkey is a fantastic way to ensure a flavorful, juicy bird with crispy skin.
VERY IMPORTANT: If you haven’t thawed your bird, this should take 2-3 days in the fridge @ 38 degrees F. Always start your brine with a thawed bird.
Step 1: PREPARE THE BRINE
In a large stockpot (8 qt or so), combine vegetable stock, apple juice, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved and bring to a boil.
Once the brine has boiled for a few minutes, allowing flavors to meld and salt & sugar to dissolve, remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temp and refrigerate. This can be done a day ahead of brining if you’d like.
Step 2: BRINE THE BIRD
Step 3: PREPARE THE BRINED TURKEY FOR ROASTING:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Carefully remove the bird from the brine. Rinse inside and out with cold water to remove any excess salt or spices.
At this point, you can discard the brine.
Position your turkey breast side up in your roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels.
If you can, let the turkey rest for 1 hour before roasting. (Optional, but recommended)
Now let’s get our aromatics ready. These will go in the cavity of the bird.
You will need:
- Apple
- Onion
- Cinnamon Stick
- Rosemary
- Sage
Add your giblets and neck to the bottom of the pan. This will add a ton of flavor to your gravy! (My husband loves them!)
Cover loosely with foil.
Step 4: ROAST THE TURKEY
Adjust your oven racks so you are on the lowest level of the oven.
Roast the loosely covered turkey at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees F after 30 minutes and remove foil. If you have a probe thermometer, now would be the time to insert it into the thickest part of the breast and set the alarm for 161 degrees F.
NOTE: Your bird will continue to cook for about 10 minutes after being removed from the oven. This is why we remove JUST before it hits 165 and let it rest.
Total cooking time for a 14-16 pound bird should be about 2 1/2 hours, but be sure to monitor. If the turkey is browning too much just cover it loosely again with your foil.
Once the turkey reaches temp, remove it from the oven and loosely tent it with foil. Allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.
Enjoy!
Delicious Turkey Brine for Perfect Roasted Turkey!
DifficultyMedium
To brine a turkey takes just a little bit of planning but it's totally worth it! Because who doesn't love moist, flavorful turkey?
Ingredients
- 1 (14-16 pound) young turkey, thawed
For the Brine:
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 gallon vegetable stock
- 1/2 gallon apple juice
- 1 Tbls black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 tsp allspice berries
- 1 1/2 tsp chopped candied ginger
- 1 gallon iced water
Aromatics for Roasting:
- 1 apple, (I used Honeycrisp)
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 cup water
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6-10 leaves fresh sage
- hazelnut oil
Instructions
For the Brining:
- 1
If you haven’t thawed your bird, this should take 2-3 days in the fridge @ 38 degrees F. Always start your brine with a thawed bird.
- 2
In a large stockpot (8 qt or so), combine vegetable stock, apple juice, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved and bring to a boil.
Remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temp and refrigerate.
- 3
The day before roasting, prepare your 5 gallon pail & bucket liner by inserting the bucket liner into the bucket and folding excess bag over the top rim of the bucket to hold it in place while you add the brine liquids and the bird.
Combine the refrigerated brine and 1 gallon ice water in the bucket liner.
- 4
Place the thawed turkey breast side down into the brine. Make sure to remove the neck and giblets and save these for roasting.
Using a twist tie, close the bag and make sure that the turkey is fully submersed in the brine. Weigh down the bird with a plate or round cake pan if needed.
Place the bucket in the fridge for 16-24 hours.
How to Roast the Brined Turkey:
- 1
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Carefully remove the bird from the brine. Rinse inside and out with cold water.
At this point, you can discard the brine.
- 2
Position your turkey breast side up in your roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels.
If you can, let the turkey rest for 1 hour before roasting. (Optional, but recommended)
- 3
Now let’s get our aromatics ready. These will go in the cavity of the bird.
Microwave the apple, onion, cinnamon stick and 1 cup of water on high for about 5 minutes. Cool slightly and transfer the apple, onion and cinnamon stick to the cavity of the bird. You can discard the water or pour it in the bottom of your roasting pan if you like.
Add the rosemary and sage to the cavity of the bird as well.
- 4
Tuck the wings under the bird so they don’t burn while roasting.
Using your hands, rub the turkey down with about 1-2 Tablespoons of hazelnut oil (or olive oil if hazelnut oil isn’t available).
Cover loosely with foil.
- 5
Adjust your oven racks so you are on the lowest level of the oven.
Roast the loosely covered turkey at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees F after 30 minutes and remove foil. If you have a probe thermometer, now would be the time to insert it into the thickest part of the breast and set the alarm for 161 degrees F.
NOTE: Your bird will continue to cook for about 10 minutes after being removed from the oven. This is why we remove JUST before it hits 165 and let it rest.
Total cooking time for a 14-16 pound bird should be about 2 1/2 hours, but be sure to monitor. If the turkey is browning too much just cover it loosely again with your foil.
- 6
Once the turkey reaches temp, remove it from the oven and loosely tent it with foil. Allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.
Equipment
- 5 gallon bucket
- bucket liner
Notes
When selecting your turkey, make sure to buy one that hasn’t already been brined or injected with a salt water solution.
Keep in mind that brined turkeys typically cook about 30 minutes faster than turkeys that haven’t been brined.
Since your turkey has been brined, it’s already seasoned perfectly nd there is no need to season after roasting.
Remember to strain and reserve your pan drippings for the most fabulous gravy!
Keywords:turkey brine, Thanksgiving
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