Name: Brined Thanksgiving Turkey
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: Chicken broth - 4 (32 ounce) containers; Apple juice (Optional) - 1 cup; Light brown sugar - 1 cup; Kosher salt - 1 cup; Dried sage - 2 tablespoons; Peppercorns - 4; Red apples, halved - 4; Garlic, crushed - 5 cloves; Ice cubes, or as needed - 10 pounds; Whole turkey - thawed, neck and giblets removed - 1 (20 pound) turkey; Apples, cored and quartered - 3; Onion, cut into 8 wedges - 1; Garlic - 3 cloves; Fresh sage leaves - 6; Olive oil, or as needed - 3 tablespoons

Recipe information

Cooking:

30 min.

Servings per container:

Source:

More details

Ingredients for - Brined Thanksgiving Turkey

1. Chicken broth - 4 (32 ounce) containers

2. Apple juice (Optional) - 1 cup

3. Light brown sugar - 1 cup

4. Kosher salt - 1 cup

5. Dried sage - 2 tablespoons

6. Peppercorns - 4

7. Red apples, halved - 4

8. Garlic, crushed - 5 cloves

9. Ice cubes, or as needed - 10 pounds

10. Whole turkey - thawed, neck and giblets removed - 1 (20 pound) turkey

11. Apples, cored and quartered - 3

12. Onion, cut into 8 wedges - 1

13. Garlic - 3 cloves

14. Fresh sage leaves - 6

15. Olive oil, or as needed - 3 tablespoons

How to cook deliciously - Brined Thanksgiving Turkey

1. Stage

Stir chicken broth, apple juice, brown sugar, salt, dried sage, and peppercorns together in a large stock pot; add apple halves and crushed garlic cloves. Bring the mixture just to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Remove from heat immediately.

2. Stage

Pour enough ice into a large food-safe container to be about half full. Pour chicken broth mixture over the ice; stir to cool liquid completely and evenly.

3. Stage

Gently lower turkey into the liquid with the breast facing down.

4. Stage

Brine turkey 24 to 36 hours, adding ice as needed to keep the brine and turkey cold.

5. Stage

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).

6. Stage

Remove turkey from the brine and rinse well with cold water. Pat turkey dry with paper towels.

7. Stage

Mix apple quarters, onion wedges, whole garlic cloves, and fresh sage leaves in a bowl; loosely stuff into cavity of turkey. Move the turkey to a shallow roasting pan. Lightly coat the turkey's skin with olive oil.

8. Stage

Bake the turkey in the preheated oven until the skin on the breast of the turkey is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

9. Stage

Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), cover turkey with aluminum foil, and continue roasting the turkey until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 6 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.