From the Kitchens of Amy & JJ

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Something about gathering in the kitchen to cook and then a giant meal shared with friends and family has always been my comfort. My father passed away when I was 19, so I was thrust into the role of “You are cooking the turkey” early on. I have had some mistakes (sorry Thanksgiving guests of 2007!) but I now have a tried and true recipe for a turkey brine that has been modified from several other recipes and fits our bird like a glove.
Turkey Brine
3 c. apple juice or apple cider
2 gallons water (one gallon in the pot and one gallon
cold for post cooking)
4 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
½ cup red onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. kosher salt
1 tsp dried sage
2 c. brown sugar
3 tbsp. peppercorns
5 whole bay leaves
Peel of three large oranges

Combine all the ingredients (except the one gallon of cold water)in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Turn off heat, add the gallon of cold water and allow the brine to cool completely. Very important that you allow the brine to cool!
Place the uncooked turkey in a large brining bag or pot (I use a food safe plastic bag and a 5 gallon bucket you would find at the hardware store) pour in the brine solution to cover the turkey, and refrigerate for 24 hours add or subtract depending on the size of your bird – rule of thumb, one hour of brining per pound as the minimum.
Be careful you know what the temp of the garage and porch will be if you are using those as your cold storage. You definitely do not want to re-freeze your bird or allow unsafe conditions to ruin your turkey feast. If you can move some beverages out of the garage fridge, you’d be best off using that space.
Before roasting, remove the turkey from the brine and wash in the sink.
Remove the turkey from the water, pat dry and you are ready to go.
PRO TIP – I peel a few small apples, half an onion and will throw half an orange into the turkey cavity to steam while cooking. I can’t back this up with any science, but I think the steam allows the meat to stay moist and the aromas to sink into the breast meat.
Also, drippings from a brined turkey can be VERY salty (duh, we just soaked this thing in a salt solution for a day) so you may want to skip those for making gravy or cut back on additional salt in the gravy mix.
And, because “It Takes 2”… Amy’s tip: Before you cook it, make a butter to spread all over the bird (over and under the skin) with fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage! You won’t be disappointed.
Hope to see you back here next week, where we will have side dish ideas perfect for your Thanksgiving table.