What better way to brine a turkey than in cranberry? This turkey brine is perfect for a traditional turkey dinner. The slight acid of this brine really helps carry flavor into the meat.
Prep Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 quarts cranberry juice
- 1 quart water
- 1 cup salt (1 1/2 cups Kosher or coarse salt)
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 12 cloves garlic, unpeeled and lightly smashed
- 4 springs fresh thyme
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6-8 bay leaves
Preparation:
Combine ingredients and place in a large pot. Add turkey to pot, making sure that brine covers turkey. If not, add more water to mixture. Brine for 1 hour per pound.
Thoroughly rinse all the brine from the turkey, inside and out, before cooking. Otherwise there will be a salty flavor to the turkey. For a more detailed explanation, see my article on brining turkey.
