The Ultimate Thanksgiving Turkey Brine
- 1- 1/2 gallon Ice Water (lots Of Ice)
- 1/2 gallons Tap Water (hot)
- 1- 1/2 cup Kosher Salt
- 2 cups Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 whole Lemon, Juiced
- 1 whole Orange, Juiced
- 1/4 cups Old Bay Seasoning (available In Most Grocery Stores)
- 1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice (Asian Section Of Most Grocery Stores -- I Like The Sun Luck Brand)
- 5 cups Extra Ice, As Needed
- Get a clean food-safe five-gallon bucket, wash it, then sanitized it with a gallon of water and a capful of bleach.
- Make the ice water in the bucket.
- Bring the tap water to a boil in a stock pot or large pan.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the salt, sugar, citrus juice and all of the seasonings.
- Let the seasoning mixture sit in the pan, stirring occasionally, until all of the salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Add the water and seasoning mixture to the ice water in the bucket.
- Gently submerge the turkey in the brine, breast-side-down.
- Oh, and make sure youve removed both pouches of innards.
- Note: it must be completely submerged, so add more ice and water if necessary.
- If the turkey tends to float, you can seal a rock in a zip-top bag and stuff it in the cavity.
- Set the bucket in the coldest place you can find (I put mine outside or in the garage), cover with foil, wrap with a sleeping bag or blankets, and let sit for at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
- Caution: its critical that the brine be kept at or under 40 degrees throughout the entire brining process, so check the ice and add more as needed.
- An hour before youre ready to cook the turkey, lift it gently and slowly from the brine, allowing it to drain completely.
- I turn it over just to make sure.
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
- Rub the skin with canola oil and roast or smoke as desired.
- Enjoy!
water, tap water, kosher salt, brown sugar, lemon, orange, bay seasoning, spice
Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/the-ultimate-thanksgiving-turkey-brine/ (may not work)