Best 6 Honey Apple Turkey Brine Recipes

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Honey apple turkey brine is a flavorful and easy way to add moisture and taste to your Thanksgiving turkey. The combination of honey, apples, and herbs creates a brine that infuses the turkey with a sweet and tangy flavor. Not only does brining help to keep the turkey moist and juicy, but it also helps to tenderize the meat. Plus, the brining process helps to ensure that the turkey is cooked evenly throughout. If you're looking for a delicious and easy way to cook your Thanksgiving turkey, honey apple turkey brine is the way to go.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

HONEY BRINED SMOKED TURKEY



Honey Brined Smoked Turkey image

Take your Thanksgiving turkey to the next level this year with Alton Brown's recipe for Honey Brined Smoked Turkey from Food Network.

Provided by Alton Brown

Categories     main-dish

Time 13h

Yield 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 gallon hot water
1 pound kosher salt
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 pound honey
1 (7-pound) bag of ice
1 (15 to 20-pound) turkey, with giblets removed
Vegetable oil, for rubbing turkey

Steps:

  • Combine the hot water and the salt in a 54-quart cooler. Stir until the salt dissolves. Stir in the vegetable broth and the honey. Add the ice and stir. Place the turkey in the brine, breast side up, and cover with cooler lid.. Brine overnight, up to 12 hours.
  • Remove the turkey from the brine and dry thoroughly. Rub the bird thoroughly with the vegetable oil.
  • Heat the grill to 400 degrees F.
  • Using a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil, build a smoke bomb. Place a cup of hickory wood chips in the center of the foil and gather up the edges, making a small pouch. Leave the pouch open at the top. Set this directly on the charcoal or on the metal bar over the gas flame. Set the turkey over indirect heat, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast meat, and set the alarm for 160 degrees F. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour.
  • After 1 hour check the bird; if the skin is golden brown, cover with aluminum foil and continue cooking. Also, after 1 hour, replace wood chips with second cup.
  • Once the bird reaches 160 degrees F, remove from grill, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 1 hour. Carve and serve.

HONEY-APPLE TURKEY BRINE



Honey-Apple Turkey Brine image

Go the extra mile by brining your turkey overnight in this lightly sweetened brine. You'll end up with the juiciest, most flavorful turkey ever and maybe even a bellyache from eating too much! The brine also works well on chicken. This makes enough for a 14- to 16-pound turkey.

Provided by France C

Time 1h25m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 14

4 cups water
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup honey
1 large red apple, cored and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 large bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh sage
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
8 cups apple cider
4 cups ice
1 cup apple cider vinegar

Steps:

  • Pour water into a large stockpot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add salt and honey and stir to dissolve. Remove pot from the heat and stir in apple slices, onion, garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, sage, and peppercorns. Let brine cool to room temperature. You can set the pot in a sink full of ice water to speed up the cooling process.
  • Stir in apple cider, ice, and apple cider vinegar. Allow brine to fully chill to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees C), or colder, before using.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 193.8 calories, Carbohydrate 49.4 g, Fat 0.1 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 0.3 g, Sodium 7616.8 mg, Sugar 44.6 g

HONEY BRINED HERB ROASTED TURKEY



Honey Brined Herb Roasted Turkey image

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.

Provided by Mirj2338

Categories     Whole Turkey

Time 16h

Yield 16 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 fresh frozen whole turkey, thawed or 1 fresh frozen whole turkey
8 -10 quarts water
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup honey
3 -4 teaspoons fresh coarse ground black pepper
10 -12 garlic cloves, peeled
2 bunches fresh thyme
1 bunch fresh sage
4 -5 cups chicken stock
2 -3 lemons
2 -4 teaspoons olive oil

Steps:

  • 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. Add chicken stock.
  • 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.
  • 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 cool for 15-20 minutes before carving.

APPLE AND HONEY FLAVORED ROASTED TURKEY



Apple and Honey Flavored Roasted Turkey image

When I was in Ethiopia, I was not introduced to Turkey meat and I never cooked it. The first year in the United States, I roasted chicken with some other dishes and celebrated Thanksgiving. The following year, my best friend Carole gave me her recipe. Initially, I followed hers and gradually changed to my own. This is one of my family favorite roasted Turkey:

Provided by yewoinfamilycooking

Categories     Poultry

Time P1DT3h

Yield 10-12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 (20 lb) whole turkey
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups vegetable broth or 4 cups chicken broth
2 cups apple juice or 2 cups apple cider
2 red apples (sliced)
4 lemons
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 bunch fresh thyme
salt and black pepper

Steps:

  • Place the turkey as wrapped in the refrigerator for a day or two to defreeze.
  • Unwrapped the turkey and place outside in a big pot; cover it with cold water, change the water every 30 minutes (it will take at least six hours to thaw);.
  • Stick your hand in the cavity and remove any organs, or "things" you may find inside of the turkey cavity and trim excess fat.
  • Under cold water, rub the turkey gently with your fingers to make sure it is clean.
  • When the Turkey is clean, soak it with two squeezed lemon juice for 30 minutes and rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Place the turkey, breast side up on roasting pan with rack.
  • Into main cavity, sprinkle squeezed fresh lemon juice; add lemon peels and 1 bunch fresh thyme cavity. Fill the turkey body (main) cavity with apple slices.
  • Tuck wings; tie legs together.
  • Mix the paprika, garlic, black pepper and salt.
  • Rub the skin and the cavity with the softened butter or oil, and season well with the mixed spices.
  • Combine the apple juice, honey and the chicken or vegetable stock; stir until honey dissolves.
  • Pour 3 cups of the mixed stock into the bottom of the roasting pan.
  • Cover the turkey with an aluminum foil making it like a tent.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Place turkey in oven and start roasting; remove aluminum foil after 2 ½ hours.
  • Cover the turkey generously with the juices on the bottom of the pan; repeat glazing every 20 minutes. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 cup at a time.
  • Roast until turkey is deep brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, it will take 2 ½ to 3 hours.
  • Transfer the turkey to a large cutting board; remove the stuffing (the Apple slices, lemon peels and thyme) and let it stand for at least 20 minutes before carving. Serve it warm.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1197, Fat 62.9, SaturatedFat 20.9, Cholesterol 475.9, Sodium 436.7, Carbohydrate 15.7, Fiber 3.4, Sugar 8.6, Protein 136.7

HONEY-APPLE TURKEY BREAST



Honey-Apple Turkey Breast image

I found this recipe in a diabetics' cookbook. We really like the honey flavor. The sweetness comes through when I use the leftovers in casseroles and soups, too.

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 2h10m

Yield 12-14 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 4

3/4 cup thawed apple juice concentrate
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 bone-in turkey breast (6 to 7 pounds)

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325°. In a small saucepan, combine apple juice concentrate, honey and mustard. Cook over low heat 2-3 minutes or just until blended, stirring occasionally., Place turkey breast on a rack in a foil-lined shallow roasting pan; pour honey mixture over the top., Bake, uncovered, 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until a thermometer reads 170°, basting with pan juices every 30 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.) Cover and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 230 calories, Fat 1g fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 109mg cholesterol, Sodium 72mg sodium, Carbohydrate 13g carbohydrate (12g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 40g protein.

HONEY-BRINED TURKEY BREAST



Honey-Brined Turkey Breast image

Here's a traditional turkey breast with a sweet and spicy zest. This moist and savory recipe also makes great leftovers. -Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 2h35m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/2 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 quarts apple cider or juice, divided
1 fresh rosemary sprig
2 large oven roasting bags
1 bone-in turkey breast (4 to 5 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Steps:

  • For brine, place first four ingredients and 4 cups cider in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Cook and stir until salt is dissolved. Add rosemary; remove from heat. Stir in remaining cider; cool to room temperature., Place one roasting bag inside the other. Place turkey breast inside both bags; add brine. Seal bags, pressing out as much air as possible; turn to coat turkey. Place in a baking pan. Refrigerate 6-24 hours, turning occasionally., Preheat oven to 325°. Line bottom of a roasting pan with foil. Drain turkey, discarding brine. Place on a rack in prepared pan; pat dry., Roast turkey 30 minutes. Brush with oil; roast until a thermometer reads 170°, 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hours. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.) Remove from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 138 calories, Fat 2g fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 78mg cholesterol, Sodium 88mg sodium, Carbohydrate 0 carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 28g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

Tips:

  • Use a large enough container for the brine: The turkey should be completely submerged in the brine, so make sure you have a container that is large enough to hold the turkey and all of the brine ingredients.
  • Brine the turkey for at least 12 hours, but no longer than 24 hours: Brining the turkey for too long can make the meat too salty.
  • Use a variety of spices and herbs in the brine: This will help to flavor the turkey and make it more delicious.
  • Make sure the brine is completely dissolved before adding the turkey: Any undissolved salt or sugar can make the turkey too salty or sweet.
  • Keep the turkey cold while it is brining: The ideal temperature for brining a turkey is between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Rinse the turkey thoroughly before cooking: This will remove any excess salt or sugar from the brine.

Conclusion:

Brining a turkey is a great way to ensure that it is moist and flavorful. By following these tips, you can create a delicious and impressive Thanksgiving turkey that your family and friends will love. So what are you waiting for? Get started on your brine today!

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