Best 6 Turkey Brine With Wine Martha Stewart Recipes

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When it comes to a juicy and flavorful Thanksgiving turkey, brining is the key. Brining involves soaking the turkey in a solution of water, salt, and other seasonings for a period of time before cooking. This process helps to tenderize the meat, infuse it with flavor, and prevent it from drying out in the oven. If you're looking for a classic and delicious turkey brine recipe, Martha Stewart's recipe with wine is a perfect choice. With a combination of dry white wine, fresh herbs, and citrus, this brine will enhance the natural flavors of the turkey and leave you with a moist and delectable dish. So, gather your ingredients and follow this step-by-step guide to create a flavorful turkey brine that will make your Thanksgiving dinner a memorable occasion.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

CLASSIC BRINED AND ROASTED TURKEY



Classic Brined and Roasted Turkey image

Brined to retain moisture, then basted with butter and wine while roasting, this turkey, the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal, is golden and juicy. The bird is brined for 24 hours, so leave plenty of time for this recipe. If you don't brine yours, skip steps one and two.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Turkey Recipes

Yield Serves 12 to 14

Number Of Ingredients 17

3 cups kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
5 cups sugar
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 medium leeks, white and pale-green parts only, rinsed and coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
2 dried bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
Freshly ground pepper
1 whole turkey (18 to 20 pounds), rinsed and patted dry, giblets and neck reserved for gravy
Gravy
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
Chestnut Stuffing
Crab apples, fresh rosemary sprigs, and fresh sage, for garnish (optional)

Steps:

  • Put salt, sugar, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and 10 cups water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring until salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from heat; let brine cool completely.
  • Add turkey, breast first, to the brine. Cover; refrigerate 24 hours. Remove from brine; pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Stir together melted butter and wine in a medium bowl. Fold a very large piece of cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to cover breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture; let soak.
  • Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Loosely fill body and neck cavities with stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Fold neck flap under; secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey all over with softened butter; season with salt and pepper.
  • Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently into bowl. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth over turkey. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Roast 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast, brushing every 30 minutes, 2 1/2 hours more; cover with foil if browning too quickly. If making gravy, add giblets and neck to pan 1 1/2 hours after reducing temperature; roast 30 minutes, and reserve.
  • Discard cheesecloth; rotate pan. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast, rotating pan halfway through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees and stuffing reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter. Set pan with drippings aside for gravy. Let turkey stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes. Garnish, if desired.

TURKEY BRINE



Turkey Brine image

Keeping your bird juicy isn't that hard-all you need is the right seasoning and a really large fridge. Brining is the first step in our roasted turkey recipe.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Turkey Recipes

Yield Makes enough brine for one 18- to 20-pound turkey

Number Of Ingredients 13

7 quarts (28 cups) water
1 1/2 cups kosher salt
6 bay leaves
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon dried juniper berries
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds
1 fresh whole turkey (18 to 20 pounds), patted dry, neck and giblets reserved for stock, liver reserved for stuffing
1 bottle dry Riesling
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bunch fresh thyme

Steps:

  • Bring 1 quart water, salt, bay leaves, and spices to a simmer, stirring until salt has dissolved. Let cool 5 minutes.
  • Line a 5-gallon container with a large brining or oven-roasting bag. Place turkey in bag. Add salt mixture, remaining 6 quarts (24 cups) water, and the other ingredients. Tie bag; if turkey is not submerged, weight it with a plate. Refrigerate 24 hours, flipping turkey once.

ROASTED DRY-BRINED TURKEY



Roasted Dry-Brined Turkey image

A dry-brined turkey is so much easier to prepare than a wet-brined turkey-and the clean-up process is easier, too. For a beautiful, natural garnish, arrange fresh sage and bay leaves, cracked walnuts, and cranberries around the roasted turkey.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Turkey Recipes

Yield Serves 12 to 14

Number Of Ingredients 14

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
14 dried bay leaves, 10 crushed, 4 left whole
1 whole fresh turkey (22 to 24 pounds), giblets and neck reserved for Simple Giblet Stock
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for baking dish if needed
1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
Leek-Celery Root Stuffing
1 cup water, plus more if needed
Pan drippings, reserved from turkey
1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Simple Giblet Stock, or 4 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium turkey or chicken stock
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Steps:

  • Make the turkey: Combine 2/3 cup salt and crushed bay leaves in a small bowl. Rinse inside and outside of turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub 2 tablespoons salt mixture evenly inside turkey cavity, 2 tablespoons on each leg portion, 1 1/2 teaspoons on each wing, and 2 tablespoons on each breast. Place turkey in a large oven bag and seal tightly, removing any trapped air. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate for 48 hours.
  • Remove turkey from bag, and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Combine 1 stick butter, the wine, and whole bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack in lowest position. Rinse inside and outside of turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Tuck wings under turkey. Season cavity with salt and pepper, and loosely fill it with 4 cups stuffing. (To bake remaining stuffing, see Leek-Celery Root Stuffing). Tie legs together with kitchen string. Rub remaining 1/2 stick butter on turkey, and season with salt and pepper. Pour water into roasting pan.
  • Place turkey, legs first, into oven. Roast for 30 minutes, then baste with butter-wine mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees, and roast, basting with butter-wine mixture every 30 minutes, for 2 1/2 hours. (Add more water to roasting pan if necessary to prevent pan drippings from burning.) Rotate pan, and roast until skin is golden brown and thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) and center of stuffing register 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer 30 to 45 minutes more. (If turkey is done before the stuffing, remove turkey from oven, and spoon stuffing into a buttered baking dish, and continue to roast until golden and center registers 165 degrees.) Transfer turkey to a rimmed baking sheet, reserving pan juices and roasting pan, and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
  • Make the pan gravy: Pour reserved pan juices into a glass measuring cup or a gravy separator, and let stand until fat rises to the surface, about 10 minutes. Pour or spoon off fat.
  • Place reserved roasting pan on 2 burners over medium heat. Add wine, and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping browned bits with a wooden spoon. Whisk flour and giblet stock in a large bowl until combined. Add defatted pan juices, whisking to combine, then pour into roasting pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half and thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Remove pan from heat, and whisk in butter. Strain through a sieve, and discard solids. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
  • To carve the turkey: Place the turkey in front of you, breast side up, and use your hand to hold it steady. Cut through kitchen string, and discard. Remove drumsticks first by placing a knife against the thigh, cutting alongside body, and slicing through the skin to expose the joint. Apply pressure at the joint with the tip of the knife, then twist the knife, and cut through the joint to release the drumstick. Repeat on the other side. (For a video how-to, see How to Carve Turkey Like a Pro.)
  • Use a long-handled spoon to scoop out the stuffing, and transfer it to a serving bowl. Slice the thigh meat from the bone.
  • Place the knife horizontally at the bottom curve of the breast, and slice in toward the rib cage along the length of the breast to create a "guide cut." Then make a vertical slice from the top down alongside the rib cage to loosen the breast meat. Cut the breast vertically into 1/4-inch-thick slices, being careful to preserve some skin. Repeat on the other side. Insert the knife tip at wing joint closest to the turkey, and twist to release wing. Repeat on the other side.

TURKEY BRINE WITH WINE - MARTHA STEWART



Turkey Brine With Wine - Martha Stewart image

Martha's words: Soaking a turkey overnight in a solution of salt and water ensures moist results. When you add aromatics to the brine, the resulting roast is also infused with a subtle character all its own. Follow Martha's instructions to prepare a perfect brined turkey for your next feast. Makes enough brine for one 18- to 20-pound turkey. Used roasting method from recipe#442389. The result was amazing!

Provided by Chicagoland Chef du

Time P1DT30m

Yield 10 quarts Brine Solution, 1 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

7 quarts water
1 1/2 cups coarse salt
6 bay leaves
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon dried juniper berries
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon mustard seeds, black, brown choose either one
18 -20 lbs fresh whole turkey, patted dry, neck and giblets reserved for stock, liver reserved for stuffing
1 (750 ml) bottle dry riesling wine, I used 1/2 bottle
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bunch fresh thyme

Steps:

  • Tools and Materials:.
  • 5-gallon brining container (tub, stockpot, or bucket).
  • Large brining or oven-roasting bag.
  • Refrigerator (or a cooler with ice).
  • One day before roasting turkey, bring 1 quart water, the salt, bay leaves, and spices to a simmer, stirring until salt has dissolved. Let cool for 5 minutes.
  • Step 2: Submerge the Turkey. I used a brining bag.
  • To minimize cleanup, line a 5-gallon container with a large brining or oven-roasting bag. Place turkey in bag. Add salt mixture, remaining 6 quarts (24 cups) water, and the other ingredients. Tie bag; if turkey is not submerged, weight it with a plate. Refrigerate for 24 hours, flipping turkey once.
  • If there isn't room in your refrigerator, place the bagged bird inside a cooler, and surround it with ice, replenishing as necessary to keep it at 40 degrees.
  • Step 3: Remove and Roast.
  • Remove turkey from brine one hour before you're ready to roast it, and pat it dry inside and out. Let stand for up to 1 hour before roasting it to your preferred recipe's specifications.

BRINED AND ROASTED TURKEY



Brined and Roasted Turkey image

Serve up a succulent turkey that has a balance of moist white and dark meat using chef Chris Schlesinger's technique for preparing and roasting a bird.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Turkey Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 gallons cold water
2 cups bourbon
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 cup sugar
1 twelve- to fifteen-pound turkey, giblets removed and rinsed
1 tablespoon freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Cornbread, Apple, and Sausage Stuffing
4 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, or low-sodium canned
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley stems (about 1 bunch)
Thanksgiving Gravy, for serving (optional)

Steps:

  • In a pot large enough to accommodate the turkey, combine 2 gallons water, the bourbon, 2 cups salt, and the sugar. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Add turkey, and refrigerate for 18 to 36 hours.
  • Remove turkey from the brine, and dry well with paper towels. Let stand, covered, at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons salt and the white and black pepper. Rub the inside and outside of the turkey with the salt-and-pepper mixture. Fill the large cavity and neck cavity with as much stuffing as they hold comfortably. Do not pack tightly, or the stuffing will not cook through. (If all the stuffing does not fit, simply transfer the extra to a buttered baking dish, and bake covered, for 30 minutes and uncovered for 15 minutes more in a 375 degree oven.) Tie the legs together loosely with kitchen twine. Fold the neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. Fold the wing tips under the turkey.
  • Soak a clean kitchen towel in the chicken stock. Lift the towel out of the stock, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over the turkey. Place the turkey in the oven so breast is facing the front of the oven. Roast for 3 hours, basting every 30 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the towel. Turn roasting pan so the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Add onions, carrots, celery, and parsley stems to the roasting pan around the turkey. Roast 1 hour more, basting after 30 minutes.
  • Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 165 degrees and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If the legs are not fully cooked, baste the turkey, return to the oven, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • When fully cooked, remove the turkey from the oven, and let it rest, covered, for at least 20 minutes. Transfer to a carving board. Make the gravy, and serve with turkey.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY 101



Perfect Roast Turkey 101 image

This recipe yields a plump and regal roast turkey, with crisp, golden-brown skin and an aroma to match.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Turkey Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 8

One 20- to 21-pound fresh whole turkey, giblets and neck removed from cavity and reserved
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
One 750-ml bottle dry white wine
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Classic Stuffing
1 cup dry red or white wine, for gravy (optional)
Giblet Stock

Steps:

  • Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
  • Place rack on lowest level in oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, 4-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
  • Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; an instant-read thermometer is a much more accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity and neck cavity loosely with as much stuffing as they hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
  • Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
  • After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
  • After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 180 degrees (stuffing should be between 140 degrees and 160 degrees) and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
  • When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup. Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan. Add giblet stock to pan. Stir well, and bring back to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more. You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy. Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.

Tips:

  • Choose a high-quality turkey: Look for a fresh or frozen turkey that is free of bruises or tears. The turkey should also be plump and have a good layer of fat.
  • Brine the turkey: Brining the turkey helps to keep it moist and flavorful. You can brine the turkey in a solution of water, salt, sugar, and spices.
  • Roast the turkey at a high temperature: This will help to create a crispy skin and juicy meat.
  • Use a meat thermometer: This is the best way to ensure that the turkey is cooked to the proper temperature. The internal temperature of the turkey should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Let the turkey rest before carving: This will help the juices to redistribute throughout the turkey, making it more tender and flavorful.

Conclusion:

Martha Stewart's turkey brine with wine is a delicious and easy way to prepare a Thanksgiving turkey. The brine helps to keep the turkey moist and flavorful, while the wine adds a subtle sweetness and complexity to the flavor. By following the tips above, you can ensure that your turkey is cooked to perfection.

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