Interestingly, I have been getting quite a few hits on my site from people looking for more information about brining turkey. Well, now that I have finally arrived at my parents’ house in suburban Great Falls, Virginia I can take a closer look at (and post) the recipe my dad has been raving about. It appears to be a xeroxed copy of a holiday cookbook put out by Wegmans Premium Holiday Turkey – and my dad used and loved this recipe last Thanksgiving.
1 turkey (10-14#)
2 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp peppercorns
4 bay leaves
6-inch square of cheescloth
1 gal water
1 # kosher salt
1 c Madeira (fortified wine) such as Marsala or brandy
1 c honey
1 tbsp crushed juniper berries (if available)
1 gal ice water
1 Reynolds oven-safe cooking bag (big enough to fit the turkey)
1/4 c basting oil
1. Thaw turkey. Remove giblets. Rejoin legs.
2. Make sachet: Place thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves, and sage in middle of cheesecloth and cinch tight with string.
3. Boil water, sachet. salt, honey, and berries in large stockpot. Stir, bring to boil. Turn off heat and let rest 20 minutes.
4. Add ice water – bring temp down below 50 degrees before adding turkey.
5. Place oven bag in stock pot; pour in mixture. Add turkey and submerge. Marinate in fridge 24 hours.
6. Remove turkey. Drain brine. Rinse turkey.
7. Roast as usual.
This effort had better make a difference. I am tempted to do the two turkeys differently – but one year we did just that and the worse turkey was sorely neglected.
I am not complaining about cooking anymore as I just saw my friend’s husband last night who is the chef at The Harrison in NYC. He is preparing turkey dinner for 250 people!
[I also got more brining tips from FlavorGirl; check this other earlier post about Thanksgiving, especially the comments.]