Thanksgiving Turkey Brine

Recipe courtesy Alex Guarnaschelli 2009

Show: Dear Food NetworkEpisode: Dear Food Network: Top 10 Thanksgiving Problems Solved

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (45)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(45)

Cook Time:
3 hr 30 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
14 to 16 servings

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 12 hr 0 min
Cook: 3 hr 30 min
Total:: 15 hr 45 min

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Ingredients

6 quarts tap water
1 pound kosher salt
1 cup molasses
2 cups honey
1 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dried sage
Large bunch fresh thyme
2 heads garlic broken into individual cloves, unpeeled
5 pounds ice cubes
14 to 18-pound turkey, cleaned, innards removed
1 pound unsalted butter, softened
2 lemons, zested

Directions

In a medium pot, bring 3 quarts of the tap water to a boil over medium heat. Put the kosher salt in a large bowl and slowly (and carefully!) pour the boiling water over the salt. Stir to blend.

Add the molasses, honey, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, sage, thyme and garlic to the salt and water mixture. Stir to blend. Add the remaining 3 quarts of cool water. Add the ice to a cooler or bucket large enough to hold the brine and the turkey. Pour the brine over the ice and use a large whisk to blend all of the ingredients.

Submerge the turkey, breast side down, in the brine. Make sure the cavity of the bird fills with the liquid as you are submerging it. Cover the cooler and allow the bird to sit in the brine overnight or for about 12 hours.

Remove the bird from the brine and dry it thoroughly with thick (absorbent) kitchen towels. Take care to wipe inside the cavity as well. Discard the brine. Whisk together the butter and the lemon zest. Gently lift the skin covering 1 breast of the turkey and spread half of the butter right on the meat under the skin. Repeat with the other breast. The butter will add extra moisture and richness as the bird roasts.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange the turkey in a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Put on the lower rack of the oven and roast until the internal temperature of the turkey taken from the thickest part of the thigh reads 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 3 1/2 hours. Remove the turkey from the oven to a cutting board or serving platter and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Thanksgiving Turkey Brine
Audra Ward, AR 01-11-2010
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Turkey Heaven!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The best turkey ever!!! It's even great as leftovers! Need I say more?
recipe Thanksgiving Turkey Brine
Staci Arp, TX 01-07-2010
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My 1st Turkey ever to make alone!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My family has always used a cooked Turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners (yuk! I know). I have watched so many FN... shows for cooking a raw bird so this year I purchased my own Turkey to brine and make alone. It was amazing. The moistness is unbelievable. Now, my family wants no other and I have been handed down the turkey preparation duty. Can't wait to make it again!Read more
recipe Thanksgiving Turkey Brine
Noy Frisco, TX 01-02-2010
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two thumbs up!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Thanksgiving 2009 was the first time that I had ever brined a turkey and I am sure glad that I chose this recipe. I followed... the recipe and the turkey turned out fabulous and moist....best turkey that I have ever cooked! My family loved it! I used this recipe again for Christmas but tweaked it by using half the amount of butter which turned out ok but not that great. It was not that moist. Make sure that you use a rack due to the amount of butter!!! My suggestions..... crush the garlic cloves, add 1 tbsp of Italian Seasoning and 1 tbsp of onion powder to the butter mixture, and stuff the turkey cavity with the thyme plus half the amount of garlic cloves from the brine and one lemon. Awesome recipe!!!! Read more
recipe Thanksgiving Turkey Brine
brenda pittsburgh, PA 01-01-2010
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AB FAB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Loved this!!!!!!!! I didn't use the molasses 'cause I didn't have any on hand - and I used 1/2 the amount of honey - again -... just didn't have it. But even with these omissions, the bird was spectacular- I'll use this recipe every time from now on!!! Didn't miss the added sweetness at all.Read more
recipe Thanksgiving Turkey Brine
Denise Beverly, MA 12-21-2009
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Fantastic Brine
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have using brine for my poultry for years and for the first time I thought I would try a different recipe. I was intrigued... by the ingredients when I saw this on TV and got the recipe for Thanksgiving. I know, not the time to try something different but I felt brave. Besides the ingredients I was intrigued by the method of using salt pork and cheese cloth. Well, my family has a new tradition with this recipe! It was absolutly awesome. My kids were concerned becasue it was dark but while it sat we realized it was the molasses that made it that way. I've always been the skin eater and it was so much better using the salt pork instead of bacon. Everyone is still talking about it. We are all converts to this recipeRead more
recipe Thanksgiving Turkey Brine
Sue Owatonna, MN 12-20-2009
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Follow the recipe!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

To Susan from Morro Bay, CA: Don't blame the recipe for turning out inedible when you don't follow it. What makes you think... you should brine your bird for 48 hours when the recipe called for 12? Marinating is not the same thing as brining, and quoting Bobby Flay's timetable for marinating when you're using another chef's recipe for brining obviously got you garbage. Don't give a negative review when you don't follow the recipe!Read more