Apple Cider Turkey Brine Recipes

BRINED HERB-CRUSTED TURKEY WITH APPLE CIDER GRAVY

Steps:

• To brine the turkey: Combine all of the ingredients for the brine in a large container. Add the turkey and let it brine in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
• To prepare the turkey for cooking: Remove the turkey from the brine the night before roasting and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. Combine the rosemary, sage, and butter for the herb crust in a small bowl. Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Work the butter under the skin of the turkey and massage it into the breasts and the legs. Massage the butter on the outside of the skin as well. Tie the legs together over the breast so they will protect it during cooking and help keep it moist and juicy.
• Gravy preparation: Put the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, apples, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and thyme in a roasting pan and season with salt. Arrange the turkey on top of the veggies and refrigerate overnight UNCOVERED! Yes, that's right, uncovered. This will help the skin dry out and become really brown and crispy. Make sure that there is no raw food near the turkey in the refrigerator. After refrigerating overnight, the turkey is ready to go in the oven.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Put 2 cups chicken stock and 1 cup apple cider in the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until the skin gets really nice and brown, about 40 minutes. Lower the oven heat to 350 degrees F for the remainder of the cooking time. Baste the turkey every 30 minutes or so and add more stock to the roasting pan, if needed. Cook about 17 minutes per pound. Once it gets to the proper color, tent the turkey with aluminum foil to prevent it from getting too dark.
• Remove the turkey from the oven when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the turkey registers 160 degrees F. Make sure that the thermometer is not touching a bone when doing the reading. When the turkey has reached the proper temperature, remove it from the roasting pan to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
• Strain all the veggies over a bowl to separate them from the stock/mixture. Discard the veggies. Skim off the fat and add it to the roasting pan. This is the fat for the roux. Put the roasting pan over 2 burners and over a low heat and whisk in the flour. Cook until the mixture looks like wet sand, about 4 to 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the remaining 1 cup apple cider, remaining chicken stock and the stock/cider mixture. Cook until the mixture has thickened and reached a gravy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour into a serving pitcher or bowl.
• Carve the turkey, transfer to a serving platter and serve with the gravy.
• Give thanks for such a great turkey!!!

APPLE CIDER TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Combine 4 cups water, apple cider, kosher salt, sage, rosemary, thyme, and peppercorns together in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil; cook and stir brine until the salt is just dissolved. Remove from heat; add ice cubes.

TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Combine apple cider, salt, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, and bay leaves in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes until salt dissolves. Cool completely in refrigerator.
• Remove giblets and neck from turkey, refrigerate until ready to use, and reserve for gravy. Rinse turkey with cold water and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Stuff body cavity with orange quarters. Place a turkey-sized oven bag inside a large stockpot. Place turkey inside bag. Add cold cider mixture and ice. Squeeze as much air out of bag as possible. twist top and secure with twist tie or tuck end so that it stays put. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning turkey occasionally.
• Once done, remove turkey from bag, and discard brine, orange quarters, and bag. Rinse turkey with cold water and pat dry.
• Cook turkey using your favorite method.

APPLE CIDER TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine apple cider, water, orange juice, kosher salt, pepper, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, garlic and onion. Bring to a simmer over high heat. You do not need to rapidly boil the liquid; just whisk to make sure that the salt is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow the brine to cool completely (this can take quite a few hours).
• Add turkey to cool brine, cover and refrigerate for 12-14 hours (or up to 24 hours).
• Before removing turkey from brine, adjust oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place a rack in a large roasting pan. You can line the roasting pan with foil first, for easy cleanup. Place 1 cup of water in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
• Remove turkey from brine and rinse under cool water. Pat inside and outside of the turkey dry with paper towels. Tie legs with kitchen twine, and tuck wing tips behind back. Brush outside of the turkey with melted butter. Set turkey breast-side up on the rack in the roasting pan.
• Roast turkey, uncovered, until thickest part of the breast registers 165 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer. Keep a close eye on the turkey after the first 30-60 minutes of roasting - the skin will get dark quickly. Once the skin is nicely browned to your liking, tent the turkey with foil (shiny side up) to prevent burning while it finishes cooking.
• The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your turkey, on how cold your turkey is when it goes in the oven, and on your individual oven. The following cooking times are only estimates. If your turkey is not close to room temperature when it goes in the oven, it will take longer to cook. If it is at room temp, it may take less time to cook. So check the temperature early. A brined 12 -14 lb. turkey needs about 2 ½ - 3 hours in a 350 degree F oven, while a 15-16 lb. turkey will likely require closer to 3 - 3 ½ hours. Again, I've had a brined 15-lb. turkey cook in as little as about 2 ½ hours, so it's always best to check the temperature of the meat early.
• Transfer turkey to a cutting board and allow to rest for 30-40 minutes. Carve and serve.

CIDER-BRINED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Reserve 1 cup of the apple cider; cover and refrigerate. In 6-quart container or stockpot, mix remaining cider, the brown sugar, salt, 3 thyme sprigs, the sage, peppercorns, allspice and bay leaves; stir until salt is dissolved. Add turkey breast. Cover; refrigerate at least 12 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Remove turkey from brine; discard brine. Rinse turkey thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in large shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of breast and does not touch bone. Roast uncovered 1 hour.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat reserved 1 cup apple cider to boiling; cook 10 minutes or until reduced by half. Reduce heat to medium. Add syrup and butter; cook until butter is melted and mixture is hot.
• Brush turkey with about 1/3 cup of the cider mixture. Roast uncovered about 1 hour longer or until thermometer reads 165°F, brushing generously with pan juices and remaining cider mixture every 15 minutes. Cover turkey loosely with foil to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Place turkey on warm platter; cover with foil. Let stand 15 minutes for easier carving.

BEST APPLE CIDER BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine cider, vinegar, salt, and sugar; stir to dissolve salt and sugar.
• Bring to a low boil over medium heat; Add in peppercorns, sage, garlic, thyme and shallots.
• On low heat simmer for 5 minutes; remove from heat, add ice to brine mixture and set aside to cool.
• Remove the turkey from the wrapping, remove neck and giblets (set aside for giblet gravy), rinse and prepare bird by patting down with paper towels.
• Make a collar of the top of cooking bags (helps keep bags open), and slip bird inside, stand it upright (legs pointing up), and unfold the top of the bag.
• Once the brine is cooled to room temperature or less, pour the cooled brine over the bird, and add an additional cold water until bird is submerged in liquid.
• Squeeze out as much air as possible and secure with a twist-tie.
• Place the turkey, breast side down, in a roasting pan and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning over every 6-8 hours.
• Just prior to roasting, remove the turkey from the brine; discard the bags, brine, and all cured herbs, spices, and oranges remaining in the bird.
• Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry with paper toweling.
• The turkey is now ready to be roasted. See cooking times for Brined turkey as it will be less than typical cooking time.
• Before cooking the bird, I typically use a rub with olive oil or melted butter/margarine. I quarter an apple and stuff inside the cavity for cooking, tenting the bird until the last hour. This will be the BEST roasted turkey you've had, hands down! I even prefer this over deep fried turkey as it is about as moist and has much more flavor to it. I compliment this turkey by serving giblet gravy, sautéed herbed mushrooms and Apple Wine Stuffing.

APPLE CIDER-BRINED TURKEY WITH SAVORY HERB GRAVY

Steps:

• To prepare brine, combine first 8 ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until sugar and salt dissolve. Cool completely.
• Remove giblets and neck from turkey; reserve for Savory Herb Gravy. Rinse Turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Stuff body cavity with orange quarters. Place a turkey-sized oven bag inside a second bag to form a double thickness. Place bags in a large stockpot. Place turkey inside inner bag. Add cider mixture and ice. Secure bags with several twist ties. Refrigerat for 12 to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees:.
• Remove turkey from bags and discard bring, orange quarters, and bags. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Place garlic, sage, thyme, parsely, onion, and broth in the botom of a roasting pan. Place roasting rack in pan. Arrange turkey, breast side down on roastick rack. Brush turkey back with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 500% for 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Remove turkey from oven. Carefully turn turkey over (breast side up) using tongs. Brush turkey breast with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into meat party of thigh registers 170 degrees. Remove turkey from oven; let stand20 minutes. Reserve pan drippings for Savory Herb Gravy.
• Directions for Gravy:.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add turkey neck and giblets; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Add water and next 7 ingredients (through bay leaf); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced to about 2 1/2 cups (about 1 hours). Strain through a colander over a bowl, reserving cooking liquid and turkey neck. Discard remaining solids. Chill cooking liquid completely.Skim fat from surface, and discard. Remove meat from neck; finely chop meat. Discard neck bone. Add neck meat to cooking liquid.
• Strain the reserved turkey drippings throug a colander over a shallow bowl; discard solids. Place strained drippings in freezer for 20 minutes. Skim fat from surface; discard.
• Place flour in a medium saucepan; add 1/4 cup cooking liquid, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add remaining cooking liquid, turkey drippings, salt and pepper; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

APPLE CIDER BRINED SMOKED TURKEY

Steps:

• 1. Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive pot, bring mixture to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes (partly covered). Allow brine to cool completely; at least 40 degrees F. 2. Remove giblets from body cavity, and rinse turkey under cool running water, inside and out. Pat turkey dry with paper towels, and then immerse turkey in cooled brine. Turkey should be completely submerged in liquid (place a plate on top of the bird if necessary to keep it covered with the liquid). 3. Cover the pot and refrigerate for 8-10 hours or up to 24 hours. 4. After the brining remove turkey, rinse, pat dry, and smoke as usual. 5: Smoke Turkey at 220 degrees for 12-14 hours, the first 2.5 hours with Cherry Smoke until internal temp hits 170-175. Larger Turkeys will take longer but smoke should remain at 2.5 hours.