Best 5 Basic Turkey Brine Whole Foods Recipes
Thanksgiving is coming, which means it's time to start planning your turkey. If you're looking for a delicious and juicy turkey, then you'll want to try brining it. Brining is a process of soaking the turkey in a saltwater solution for several hours or overnight. This helps to keep the turkey moist and flavorful throughout the cooking process. There are many different ways to brine a turkey, but this article will focus on the basic method using ingredients that you can find at Whole Foods.
Let's cook with our recipes!
BROWN SUGAR-BRINED TURKEY
A simple brown-sugar brine gives this turkey deep, rich flavor and beautifully burnished skin. You can make a simple gravy with the pan drippings, but remember that brining increases the saltiness of drippings, so use salt-free or low-sodium broth in your gravy and taste it before adding additional salt.
Time 9h30m
Yield Serves 10 with leftovers
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Combine brown sugar, salt, bay leaves, garlic and 8 cups water in a large pot. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.
- Remove from heat, stir in ice and cool completely. Very early on the day of cooking (or late the night before), pour brine into a 4- to 5-gallon pot or other clean container.
- Add turkey and any additional cold water needed to just submerge it. Turn turkey a few times and then leave it breast-side down. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours and up to 8 hours.
- Preheat oven to 475°F and adjust racks to fit the turkey.
- Remove turkey from brine, pat dry and place on a rack in a large roasting pan. Brush with butter and sprinkle with pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen string, tuck wings under body and roast for 20 minutes.
- Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and tent breast loosely with foil.
- Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh, without touching bone, registers 165°F or juices run clear (not pink) when you poke thigh with a paring knife, 2 to 2 1/2 hours more.
- Transfer turkey to a carving board, tent with foil and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 290 calories, Fat 15 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Cholesterol 110 milligrams, Sodium 780 milligrams, Carbohydrate 2 grams, Protein 36 grams
BASIC TURKEY BRINE (WHOLE FOODS)
Steps:
- Combine salt, sugar, aromatics and 1/2 gallon (8 cups) of water in a large pot and place over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stir in remaining 1/2 gallon water (or water and ice) and cool completely. Pour brine into a container just large enough to hold turkey comfortably. (A 4- or 5-gallon vessel should be good for a 10- to 12-pound turkey.) Add turkey; add a little more water or ice to submerge it if necessary. Turn bird a few times and then leave breast-side down in the water; place a heavy plate over the poultry if it floats. Chill 5 to 6 hours. Remove bird from brine, discard brine and roast as directed.
ULTIMATE TURKEY BRINE
Simple overnight brine that will make any turkey moist and tasty. You can use this recipe for turkeys in the 15 to 20-pound range. Brining works best for fresh turkeys; you should definitely not brine any turkey that is already injected with a 'solution.'
Provided by Eric
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes
Time 2h25m
Yield 30
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Bring water to a boil in a large stockpot. Stir salt and sugar into the water until dissolved; bring water again to a boil. Add cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, rosemary, and thyme to the water, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook mixture at a simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Refrigerate brine until completely cooled.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 44.1 calories, Carbohydrate 11.3 g, Fat 0.1 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 0.1 g, Sodium 6080.8 mg, Sugar 10.7 g
BASIC BRINE FOR JUICY, TENDER CHICKEN OR TURKEY
I never make any sort of chicken/turkey without brining it first. Once you try this recipe, you won't either. This is my standard brine that I use most often. This allows me to add any flavoring, dry rub, or sauce to my chicken without competing with the brine flavors. The brining process forces water into the muscle tissues of the meat by a process known as diffusion and osmosis. This additional moisture causes the muscle tissues to swell and hold more water. The resulting water in the muscle tissues will make the meat more moist and tender. Any spices herbs or other flavorings you add to the brine solution will get taken deep into the meat with the water.
Provided by Brandess
Categories Chicken Breast
Time 5m
Yield 1 gallon
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- Mix brine together well with a whisk.
- Place 1 whole chicken (thawed or frozen- you may also use chicken parts.) in brine for 2 hours up to over night. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
- Remove chicken from brine and rinse chicken well. You are now ready to make a tender juicy chicken dish of your choosing.
- NOTES: You can do this with turkey, as well. Also, you will notice that your leftovers, even after refrigerated overnight, are so tender and juicy whether eaten cold or reheated. The moisture retention really helps to make a chicken meal morph into a second meal when it holds its moisture. If doing a whole turkey, use the recipe servings changer to up the servings to 6-10. Put your turkey in an insulated cooler with enough water to cover and add in a 5 pound bag of ice. Brine overnight.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 557.6, Sodium 56741.4, Carbohydrate 143.9, Sugar 142.4, Protein 0.2
BRINED AND ROASTED WHOLE TURKEY
No dish has more riding on its success than the holiday turkey. Brining locks in a turkey's natural juices, so it won't dry out during the roasting process, ensuring the perfect centerpiece for a flavorful feast.
Provided by Morton
Categories Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips
Time 13h20m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Overnight Brine: Combine Morton®Kosher Salt and sugar in cool water in a large, clean stockpot until completely dissolved. Place the whole turkey in the brine until completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight, up to 14 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse inside and out under cool running water for several minutes to remove all traces of salt; pat dry with paper towel.
- 4-5 hour Brine: To brine your turkey in less time (4-5 hours), use 2 cups of Morton®Coarse Kosher Salt and two cups of sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours.
- To Roast: Mix the softened butter with the pepper. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan. Rub the seasoned butter under the skin. Brush the skin with the melted butter. Pour the 1 cup liquid (wine, broth or water) over the pan bottom to prevent drippings from burning. Roast turkey at 450 degrees F for 25 minutes, baste and then rotate the roasting pan. Continue roasting until the skin turns golden brown, an additional 25 minutes; baste again. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F; continue to roast, basting and rotating the pan once about halfway through cooking, until the minimum internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the oven. Let stand 20 minutes before carving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 984.6 calories, Carbohydrate 20.7 g, Cholesterol 341.8 mg, Fat 46.9 g, Protein 108.9 g, SaturatedFat 16.8 g, Sodium 9504.4 mg, Sugar 20.2 g
Tips:
- Use a large container: Make sure the container you use is large enough to hold the turkey and all of the brine solution. A stockpot or a large plastic bucket are good options.
- Use cold water: Always use cold water for the brine solution. This will help to keep the turkey from cooking before it's time.
- Use Kosher salt: Kosher salt is the best type of salt to use for brining a turkey. It's coarse texture helps to dissolve evenly and it doesn't contain any additives that can alter the flavor of the turkey.
- Add aromatics: You can add aromatics such as garlic, onion, celery, carrots, and herbs to the brine solution to give the turkey more flavor.
- Brine the turkey for the right amount of time: The amount of time you brine the turkey will depend on the size of the turkey. A general rule of thumb is to brine the turkey for 1 hour per pound.
- Rinse the turkey before cooking: After you've brined the turkey, be sure to rinse it thoroughly with cold water before cooking it. This will help to remove any excess salt from the turkey.
Conclusion:
No matter which recipe you choose, the most important thing is to make sure that you follow the directions carefully. Brining a turkey is a great way to ensure that your turkey is moist and flavorful. It's a simple process that can make a big difference in the taste of your Thanksgiving turkey.
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