How To Brine a Turkey In Apple Juice
Apple Juice Brine Recipe for Thanksgiving Turkey
Thanksgiving goes down as one of my most favorite holidays of the year. What is more wonderful than a holiday centered around food and family? I mean, what holiday isn't centered around food and family?! But we all know that Thanksgiving has that extra emphasis on the food part. When preparing Thanksgiving Day turkey, I like to go all out. And it all starts with the bird and your marinade of choice.
In the past, I have received free turkeys from work. Big turkeys. Twenty-five pound frozen turkeys. In my opinion, this is a little too much turkey to work with. I am no longer at that company, so the past few years I have sought out my own turkeys. I have learned that purchasing a fresh turkey is the way to go. There is a farm about an hour where we live that provides fresh turkeys for Thanksgiving, and these birds have made all the difference in the quality and taste of the turkey served at our Thanksgiving dinners.
A local grocery store of ours works with this turkey farm and they make it super easy to order and receive your fresh turkeys. Every year, we order two, 13-15 lb birds for the holiday. I cook them both in the same oven, side by side. But before the turkeys are cooked, I always do my favorite type of marinade, which is an Apple Juice Brine.
We started doing an apple juice brine years ago, and have been doing one ever since the first taste. A fresh turkey combined with a good marinade is sure to not disappoint. And you too can do your own marinade as well. Try the following recipe this Thanksgiving!
Apple Juice Brine Recipes For Turkey
Ingredients - Herby Spiced Orange Apple Juice Brine
- 1/2 Gallon Cold Apple Juice
- 1/2 Gallon Cold Water
- 1 Cup Kosher Salt
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Medium Oranges, Juiced
- 6 Crushed Garlic Cloves
- 1 Bunch Fresh Thyme Sprigs
- 1 Bunch Fresh Rosemary Sprigs
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Allspice
- 1/4 Cup Black Peppercorns
Ingredients - Lemon Herb Apple Juice Brine
- 1/2 Gallon Apple Juice
- 1/2 Gallon Water
- 1 Cup Kosher Salt
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 3 Medium Lemons, 2 Juiced, 1 Sliced
- 10 Crushed Garlic Cloves
- 1 Bunch Fresh Thyme Sprigs
- 1 Bunch Fresh Rosemary Sprigs
- 1/4 Cup Black Peppercorns
- 1/8 Cup Whole Coriander Seeds
Instructions
- We make two different brines for each of our two turkeys, and set up our coolers the night before Thanksgiving. First, line a large cooler with a large plastic bag to hold each turkey and turkey brine mixture.
- After you've cleaned and prepped your bird, drop it into one of your large plastic bags that is in a cooler.
- In a large stock pot, mix together the ingredients for your brine. Slice the peels from the citrus after you have juiced the fruit into your brine. Once all of the sugar and salt is dissolved, pour into the plastic bag holding your turkey. Tie your bag tight so that your entire turkey is surrounded by apple juice brine.
- I live in the Midwest, and it is typically COLD once Thanksgiving rolls around. We simply store our coolers outside over night in order to keep everything below 40F while the turkeys are brining. If you are from a warmer weather area, be sure to add ice to your cooler in order to keep everything at refrigeration temperatures.
- Once ready to cook your turkeys, un-tie your bags and place your turkeys in their respective roasting pans. Scoop out all of the seasonings and fruit peels. Arrange your herbs, peppercorns, and fruit peels on top of your turkeys during roasting.
- Cook your turkeys based on recommended oven temperatures and times depending on the size of turkeys that you are making for dinner. This will vary based on oven type as well.
- Carve and serve, and enjoy your Apple Juice Brinded, farm-fresh Thanksgiving Day turkeys!
Allow Your Turkeys To Marinade In The Apple Juice Brine Overnight
Arrange Herbs and Fruit Peels From The Brine On Turkeys Prior to Roasting
Thanksgiving Table Decor Ideas:
1) Burlap Table Runner
2) Give Thanks Miniature Pumpkin Decor
3) Thanksgiving MudPie Butter Dish
4) Drum Stick Party Headband
5) Pumpkin Hat For Baby
6) Gobble Gobble Thanksgiving Themed Napkins
7) To-Go Containers For Your Guests To Take Leftovers
7) Best Non-Stick Pan for Holiday Cooking
