looking for a simple brine recipe

bluefox

I need a simple brine recipe for turkey

Hoss

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Poultry/BriningPoultry.htm

PattyO

Honey Brined Herb Roasted Turkey

1 fresh or frozen (thawed) whole turkey
8-10 quarts of water
2 C kosher salt
1 C honey
3-4 T coarsely ground black pepper
10-12 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 bunches fresh thyme
1 bunch fresh sage

4-5 C poultry stock

2-3 lemons
2-4 T olive oil
pan gravy

Allow 12 - 18 hours for the turkey to marinate in the brine. It's worth the wait as this process always assures a moist, flavorful turkey.
Remove giblets and neck from turkey, reserve for gravy. Rinse turkey with cold running water and drain well. Blot dry with paper towels.
Prepare brine by mixing water, honey and salt in a large bowl. Stir until honey dissolves. Add half the thyme and sage along with the garlic and black pepper. Set aside.
Line an extra-large stock pot with a food-safe plastic bag. Place the rinsed turkey in the bag and pour brine over the turkey. Gather the bag tightly around the turkey, causing the turkey to be surrounded by the brine. Seal the bag and refrigerate the pot, bag and brined turkey for at least 12 hours.
Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry inside and out. Discard brine. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (about 2 1/2" deep) roasting pan. Squeeze lemon juice into the main turkey cavity. Put the squeezed lemon halves into the cavity along with the rest of the thyme and sage. Coat turkey lightly with oil and sprinkle inside and out with salt, pepper. Insert an oven safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful the pointed end of the thermometer does not touch the bone.
Roast turkey, basting with poultry stock every half hour or so. To determine the approximate amount of time needed for cooking, click here for our Turkey Roasting Chart. Loosely cover with aluminum foil to prevent over browning, remove foil during last hour and a half of cooking time. Continue to roast until thermometer registers 180°F in the thigh, or 170°F. in the breast.
Remove turkey from the oven and allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Use juices to make pan gravy (follow link for directions)

WessB

You can find a link to the one we use in the "cooks" section of my website in the 2003 Thanksgiving entry..

2Fategghead

This is thirdeye bbq site. I have used these brine recipes and love them. Tim

http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1999/07/brining_29.html

Mikee

I look at a brine as 1 cup salt to 1 gallon of water. Other spices are added to brine to add flavor to the meat. The brine will allow the flavors of the spice to get into the meat and not just on surface.
I use a cooler to brine my turkey in. By Thanksgiving, it is cool and placing the cooler in the garage and making sure the bird is totally submerged in an ice brine. I add addtional ice to keep the temps in the low 30*s.
The brine will add flavor, keep the bird from drying out when cooking, and will also clean the inside cavity of the bird. Once you brine a turkey, or chicken/pork, you'll realize that even an average cook will turn out a better than average dish.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

Bluefox:
You ask about a simple, basic brine....
In my mind that is just water, salt and some sugar. I most always use a salt & sugar mixture for my basic brine and strongly feel that maintaining a 6% salt to water ratio is best. In this case, 6 oz. of salt is sufficient for 3 qts. of liquid.
Less salt can be used here if desired, but I have read that using less than 6 oz. of salt per gallon of liquid may be defeating the purpose of the brining process.

BTW, I often use Morton’s Kosher Salt and 6 oz. is approximately 3/4 C. (or 12 tablespoons).
Thus, in thinking things through; Mikee's 1 C. to 1 gal. would seem to hold true !

Here is my VERY basic:
NORTH PORTAGE BASIC BRINE
(6%) Making enough for a few chops, or breasts.

1 qt. of water
1/4 C. of Morton's kosher salt
2 T. of sugar

This is not a flavor brine and will only enhance the texture and moisture. The bird can be roasted with any of the rubs and herbs as normal, for flavoring.

However: To make this basic brine into a Flavor Brine: Seasonings like pepper, crushed garlic (garlic powder), sage, lemon and / or lime slices, onion slices (onion powder or dried flakes), fresh or dried herbs, etc…are all optional possibilities.
A few ounces of cider vinegar, flavored vinegars, wine, whisky, apple juice or even beer can be added as well.

As for a time frame: I tend to think that longer is better....But that's me and I'm sure others differ.

For a whole, large turkey, I would brine for at least 12 hrs. and up to as much as 24 to 36!

This is followed by a rinse and a "soak out" for about 4 hrs. changing water once.

Again, give a good rinse.

All of this is now followed by a rest of 8 or more hrs. Of course, all of this takes place in the fridge.

As you can see my process can take up to two day before the bird ever hits the EGG!! I'm not sure it is all necessary, but I always have a great bird Even when I've over cooked the darn thing :ohmy: !!

Mikee

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

I think you touched on an important point. When using a brine the cook/chef has to plan ahead. It takes time for the brine to work. Many people do not plan ahead a day or two. With Thanksgiving only coming once a year we all want to not ony have the tradional turkey dinner but want to serve a meal fit for a king. The small effort placed ahead of time pays big dividends. I never heard someone say 'I make too much money' nor have I've heard someone say 'I wish I did not brine the turkey'.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

VERY true my friend....Thinking ahead in preperation is most always a good thing. I was just looking at a recipe for a dish, to start tomorrow, for a meal on Sunday (it's a long story) and going CRAP!!!I don't have "that" in the pantry :ohmy:
Anyway...Thanks for the pat on the back!
I too...Don't think anybody that has ever done some brining would ever say "DARN" unless a shortened process was used and it turned out way salty!