Apple Cider Brine

Total Time: 24 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 24 hrs Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup kosher salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 6 slices fresh ginger, thick
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed (in mortar or spice mill)
• 2 teaspoons allspice berries, crushed (in mortar or spice mill)
• 8 cups unsweetened apple cider (or juice)
• 1 fresh or thawed turkey (10-25 pounds)
• 2 oranges, quartered
• 2 turkey size oven cooking bags (reynold's preferred)

Recipe

• 1 in a 3-4 quart saucepan, combine cider with salt, sugar, ginger, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and allspice; stir to dissolve salt.
• 2 bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 3-4 minutes; remove from heat, add 4 cups of ice water and set aside to cool.
• 3 line a heavy roasting pan with turkey-sized oven cooking bags (which should be double-layered).
• 4 remove the turkey from it's wrapping, remove neck and giblets (store separately), and rinse and prepare bird.
• 5 stuff cavity with orange quarters.
• 6 make a collar of the top of cooking bags (helps keep bags open), and slip bird inside, stand it upright (legs pointing up), and unfold the top of the bag.
• 7 pour the brine over the bird, and add an additional 2 cups of water.
• 8 draw up the first inner bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, and secure with a twist-tie; do the same for the outer bag.
• 9 place the turkey, breast side down, in the roasting pan and refrigerate for 12-24 hours, turning 3-4 times while brining.
• 10 just prior to roasting, remove the turkey from the brine; discard the bags, brine, and all cured herbs, spices, and oranges remaining in the bird.
• 11 rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry with paper toweling.
• 12 air-dry turkey under refrigeration for 4-6 hours (before cooking) for a crispier crust when roasting.
• 13 the turkey is now ready to be roasted.