Brined Turkey Recipe

Nov 08, 2012 @ 5:49 PM
Posted by Craig Deihl, Special Contributor

Nutrition

Cal/Serving: 950
Daily Value: 47%
Servings: 12

Low-Carb
Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free

Fat	46g	70%
Saturated	13g	64%
Carbs	11g	4%
Fiber	0g	1%
Sugars	9g	0%
Protein	116g	232%
Cholesterol	386mg	129%
Sodium	6822mg	284%
Calcium	129mg	13%
Magnesium	135mg	34%
Potassium	1544mg	44%
Iron	9mg	47%
Zinc	13mg	84%
Vitamin A	79IU	2%
Vitamin C	3mg	4%
Thiamin (B1)	0mg	23%
Riboflavin (B2)	1mg	51%
Niacin (B3)	23mg	116%
Vitamin B6	2mg	119%
Folic Acid (B9)	46µg	12%
Vitamin B12	2µg	38%
Vitamin D	1µg	0%
Vitamin E	2mg	10%
Vitamin K	18µg	22%
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	16g	0%
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	11g	0%

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Brined Turkey

Thinkstock/iStockphoto

This turkey made its way into chef Craig Deihl’s recipe collection by way of a staff meal at his Charleston restaurant Cypress. He explains that while many people don’t do it on Thanksgiving, the brine is the single most important part of getting a perfectly moist turkey, and adds, "The brine makes the difference between a good turkey and a great one." After trying his recipe, we believe him.

Click here to see A Gluten-Free Thanksgiving.

INGREDIENTS

For the brine and the turkey:

2 cups water
3/4 cup salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 sprigs thyme
1 head garlic, split in half
5 white peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 gallons ice water
One 15-pound turkey

DIRECTIONS

For the brine and the turkey:

In a saucepan, combine the 2 cups water with the salt and sugar. Place over medium-high heat. Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. If it starts to boil, lower the temperature. Add the sage, thyme, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves and cook for 3 minutes. In a large container, combine the ice water and the hot mixture. Stir with a large spoon. Liquid should be ice cold. Place the turkey into the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Remove the turkey from the brine and put in a colander with the legs facing down to drain excess brine. Brine can be discarded. Using paper towels, pat the turkey dry. Roast the turkey in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 5 hours or until an internal thermometer reaches 160 degrees.