Dad's Turkey Brine

Name: Dad's Turkey Brine
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup Kosher Salt; 4 quarts water; 1 sprig fresh Rosemary (8 inch stalk); 1 sprig fresh Oregano (8 inch stalk); 1 tablespoon Everyday seasoning; 1 tablespoon Peppercorns; 1 tablespoon Cloves; 1 tablespoon Thyme; 6 Bay leaves; Peel of 1 lemon; Peel of 1 orange

Joe Fernandez @cook_2851502

Ok, so we bought a turkey for Thanksgiving that wasn't brined, and decided it was necessary. We read a few recipes on ye olde interwebs and came up with this one. Recording it here in case we want to do it again. :-P

Joe Fernandez @cook_2851502

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Ingredients

1 cupKosher Salt
4 quartswater
1 sprigfresh Rosemary (8 inch stalk)
1 sprigfresh Oregano (8 inch stalk)
1 tablespoonEveryday seasoning
1 tablespoonPeppercorns
1 tablespoonCloves
1 tablespoonThyme
6Bay leaves
Peel of 1 lemon
Peel of 1 orange

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Steps

1

Prepare a large pot or food-safe storage bin that will fit your turkey and completely submerge it in the brine. We had to use a 22 quart storage container for ours, which was too big. Something between 14 and 20 quarts would probably be fine, depending on the size of your turkey. You can also use a large food-safe storage bag, but be careful to get a bag that won't leak.
2

Clear out enough room in your fridge to fit the pot, storage bin or bag.
3

Put 2 quarts of water in a big pot and bring to a boil. Add the salt and stir in until it is completely dissolved.
4

Lower heat to medium high, add in the other ingredients and stir periodically for 10 minutes.
5

Use a potato peeler to remove the outer skin of the orange and the lemon. Add the peels to the brine mixture. (Don't use the whole peel, because the white part of the peel is bitter.)
6

Lower heat to simmering for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7

Take the brine mixture off the heat and add the other 2 quarts of water and stir in.
8

Allow the brine mixture to cool to room temperature. (Don't put hot or warm brine on the turkey, because you will start to cook it prematurely.)
9

Remove the turkey from the bag it came in, rinse it off, remove the giblets, put the turkey in your brine-ing container and place it in the refrigerator.
10

Once cooled, pour the brine over the turkey. Make sure the turkey is completely submerged. If needed, add more brine mixture at 1 quart of water to a 1/4 cup of Kosher salt.
11

Cover the the container (or close the bag) and let sit in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.
12

Rinse off the turkey with cool water, pat dry and cook as usual. Brined turkeys tend to cook a bit faster (20 to 30 minutes), so check your bird early.