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+ servings

Poultry Brine

Before you roast'em, you gotta soak'em
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Brine Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 30 minutes
Servings: 5 gallons
Course: Prep
Cuisine: American
Calories: 622

Ingredients
  

  • 5 cups apple cider
  • 2 gallons water
  • 5 tbsp Poultry rub https://www.roguechef.com/?p=1820
  • 4 cups Kosher Salt
  • 4 cups Dark brown sugar
  • 5 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 10 lb Ice
  • 1 Gallon Turkey Stock Regular Sodium

Equipment

  • Food safe 5 gallon container w/lid

Method
 

  1. Add all but ice to a large pot
  2. Stir to dissolve , and bring to boil
  3. Remove from heat and allow to cool
  4. Place thawed turkey, with giblet packet / neck removed in container
  5. Pour brine over, add ice, cold water to cover
  6. Keep in cool place for up to 24 hours, check ice / temp often
  7. Whence brining is done, rinse turkey with cold water, pat dry.
  8. Discard brine, roast / smoke turkey according to recipe

Nutrition

Calories: 622kcalCarbohydrates: 159gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 68073mgPotassium: 455mgFiber: 1gSugar: 151gVitamin A: 105IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 283mgIron: 3mg

Notes

Basic brine, basic method.
I always brine poultry for roasting / smoking.
I usually go a little light on the normal 1 cup salt / 1 cup sugar to 1 gallon of brine, as I do have other flavors and I do go for a very long (24 hours) brine time.
ONE NOTE:  First of all, make sure your turkey hasn’t already been brined or injected with a saline solution (water is ok). If it has, it should say so right on the packaging.  Turkeys labeled “kosher,” “enhanced,” or “self-basting,” are usually already brined.  IF THIS IS TRUE, DO NOT DO THIS!
 

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