Recipe Box: Brining your turkey

PORTSMOUTH - All week long, we're helping you prepare your Thanksgiving feast -- and no one wants to serve dry, tasteless turkey on the big day!

Some people swear by brining -- which is basically the method of giving the turkey a saltwater bath.

A warning, this only works with a thawed turkey, so if you're going to brine it you need to plan ahead and your turkey should be thawed by the day before you need to cook it.

If you do plan ahead, this is a fairly easy way to prepare a turkey that is full of flavor.

Once you have washed off the marinade, cook it as normal, whether you decide to roast, fry, or smoke your turkey.

Turkey Brining Recipe
The necessary 1st step to a perfect Turkey? Plan on starting 1 day ahead.

Supplies Needed:
Clean Bucket (about 3 gals capacity)
Turkey Roasting Bag
Gallon Measure
Large Mixing Bowl
Picnic Cooler
Bag of Ice

Food Ingredients:
Your fully thawed Turkey - determine the size; 1 lb per person.

For 2 gallons of brining solution:
1 ½ gallon Water
½ gallon Apple Cider
1 ½ cups Kosher Salt (if your Turkey has an added solution cut salt in half – ¾ Cup)
1 cup Light Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Black Peppercorns
3 stalks Fresh Rosemary *
½ bunch Fresh Sage*
6 each Fresh Bay Leaves*
1 head Garlic cut in half across cloves.
1 each Orange cut in ¼’s (squeeze and add)
1 each Lemon cut in ¼’s (squeeze and add)
1 each Large Onion peeled and cut into large dice.
1 each Medium Carrot coarsely cut.
2 stalks Celery coarsely cut.
*steep with other fresh herbs in 2 cups boiling water for about 5 minutes prior to adding to brine.

Method of Preparation:
1) Check that Turkey is completely thawed…allow 2-3 days in your refrigerator to defrost if frozen.
2) Remove the giblets, neck and any other parts found in the Turkey body and Turkey d neck cavities…you can keep those to make your gravy later.
3) Stretch the roasting bag across the bucket, allowing you to add the turkey into the bag without it closing.
4) At this time to determine how much brining solution you will need simply place the Turkey into the bag and fill with water to cover, pour the water off into a gallon measure.
5) To make the Brine: in a large mixing bowl combine the Water, Apple Cider, Salt and Brown Sugar mixing well making sure that the salt and sugar are fully dissolved.
6) Add the remaining ingredients to bowl.
7) Place the Turkey into the roasting bag in the bucket, then pour the brining solution over the Turkey, seal the bag.
8) Remove the brining Turkey in the bag from the bucket and place into a picnic cooler.
9) Cover with ice and as long as you keep the lid on the cooler your turkey should keep at a safe temperature (40ºF or lower)
10) Keep the Turkey in the brining solution for at least1 hour per lb. Turn the Turkey once or twice during the brining time.
11) When ready to cook your Turkey, remove from the brining solution; rinse the Turkey thoroughly before cooking.
12) Prepare as you usually would check for doneness a bit earlier as a brined Turkey does tend to cook faster.