Turkey, Brined

Ingredients

• 1 gallon vegetable broth
• 1 cup sea salt
• 1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried savory
• 1 gallon ice water

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, combine the vegetable broth, sea salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, and savory. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to be sure salt is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.
2. When the broth mixture is cool, pour it into a clean 5 gallon bucket. Stir in the ice water.
3. Wash and dry your turkey. Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure that the cavity gets filled. Place the bucket in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Remove the turkey carefully draining off the excess brine and pat dry. Discard excess brine.
5. Cook the turkey as desired reserving the drippings for gravy. Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster so watch the temperature gauge.

Cooking Time at 325ºF

1. 10 lb Brined Turkey - 1 Hour and 36 Minutes
2. 14 lb Brined Turkey - 2 Hours and 20 Minutes
3. 18 lb Brined Turkey - 3 Hours and 10 Minutes
4. 20 lb Brined Turkey - 3 Hours and 20 Minutes

Notes

First:

Remove the turkey from the brine at least 2 hours before cooking. This will help to prevent the turkey from being too salty.

Second:

Cook the turkey at a low temperature. This will help keep the meat moist and prevent it from drying.

Finally:

Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes after cooking. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a juicier, more flavorful turkey.