Ah, it’s that time of year when the President pardons a turkey and the rest of us eat one.
Many people have heard of brining a turkey but are intimidated by the process – I say, “Don’t Be!”
Be brave and daring and follow these instructions:
Get yourself a fresh turkey – preferably a Diestel or a Willie Bird. Better yet, get a Heritage turkey. These turkeys are the foremothers of the modern broad breasted turkey and are truly free range – that is they have to hunt and peck for their grass and bugs. They cost more but are infinitely better than the frozen supermarket variety.
Not to leave anyone out…if you have a frozen bird it’s got to defrost so plan ahead because to safely defrost that little guy you will have to leave it in the refrigerator for at least 3 or 4 days. Don’t defrost a turkey at room temp…can we all say, “Food Poisoning.”
Other things you will need:
big ice chest
food safe bucket, 5 gal
meat thermometer
butcher’s twine
OK, so you have your bird all defrosted, giblets removed, given a quick rinse and towel dried. Now you need to make your brine. Here is a recipe from Chez Panisse:
CHEZ PANISSE’S TURKEY BRINE
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 gallons cold water
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 whole head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
5 whole allspice berries, crushed
4 juniper berries, smashed
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the water in a large nonreactive pot or a food safe plastic bucket that can easily hold the liquid and the turkey. Add all the ingredients and stir for a minute or two until the sugar and salt dissolve.
Put the turkey into the brine and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
ok so who out there has a frig that BIG? what we’ve done over the years and have lived to tell about it is to put the bucket in an ice chest and fill the ice chest with ice. just make sure the ice level is at or above the level of the turkey
If the turkey floats to the top, weight it down with a plate and cans to keep it completely submerged in the brine.
Note: You may halve or double the recipe. The important thing is to prepare enough brine to cover the turkey completely.
To roast: Remove the bird from the brine, rinse and drain well. Pat dry. Rub the outside with soft unsalted butter and sprinkle the inside and outside with pepper (NO salt). Tie the wings back and the legs together with some butcher’s twine. Roast in a 350F oven until the internal thigh temperature is 165F. Start checking the temp after about 1 1/2 hours. Depending on the size of the bird it could take anywhere from 2 to 3 1/2 hours, so be patient. Baste the bird every half hour with the unsalted butter and you will end up with a beautiful bronze skin and a nice tasty bird. If the legs and wings begin to brown too much cover them with pieces of foil.
Take the bird out of the oven and let it rest for at least an hour before you start carving it up.
Good luck and have fun! Remember, your turkey will most likely be better than any anyone has ever tried. I believe in you! Now go out there and make me proud!
One Response
Thanks, Sandy! We’re hosting my family for Christmas this year and after years of hearing how superior brined turkeys are, I’m going to give it a go. I’ll let you know how it turned out in the new year. Happy holidays!