Never- Fail Basic Brining Recipe
- 1 (12 -14 lb) whole turkey, thawed if previously frozen
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 gallons cold water
- 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
- 2 onions, coarsely chopped
- 2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Dissolve salt and sugar in water in a large stockpot or clean bucket.
- Remove neck and giblets and use to make gravy stock, if desired.
- Thoroughly rinse turkey under cool running water.
- Immerse the bird in the prepared brining solution and refrigerate or set in very cool (40 F or less) spot for 4 to 6 hours.
- (4 hours for small bird, 6 hours for larger bird).
- Remove turkey from brine and discard solution.
- Rinse both cavities and skin under cool running water for several minutes until all traces of salt are gone.
- Pat dry inside and out with paper towels.
- Place turkey on meat rack set over rimmed sheet pan.
- Place in refrigerator, uncovered, and air-dry for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Pre-heat oven to 400F.
- Toss 1/3 of the thyme sprigs, chopped onion, carrot and celery in the body cavity of the turkey and scatter the rest in the bottom of your pan, along with 1 cup water.
- Bring turkey legs together and perform a simple truss.
- Set V rack in roasting pan, brush breast side with melted butter and place turkey breast side down.
- Brush the underside of the bird with the remaining melted butter.
- Roast breast side down for 45 minutes.
- With wad of paper towelling in each hand, turn turkey, leg/thigh side up, baste with pan juices, return to oven and roast for 15 minutes.
- Turn turkey other side up and baste again.
- Return to oven and roast another 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven a final time, turn breast side up, baste again, and roast turkey until breast registers about 165 F and thigh registers 170 - 175 F (another 30 to 45 minutes).
- Remove from roasting pan onto cutting board or serving platter.
- Let rest, covered with tin foil, for at least 15 minutes before carving.
- Use pan juices to make gravy.
turkey, kosher salt, sugar, cold water, carrots, onions, celery, thyme, unsalted butter
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/never-fail-basic-brining-recipe-256545 (may not work)