Are you looking for a moist, flavorful, and juicy turkey that will be the star of your Thanksgiving dinner? Look no further than this collection of the best turkey recipes ever brined. With a variety of brines to choose from, including classic, herb-infused, and even a sweet and savory option, you're sure to find the perfect recipe for your taste. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a first-time turkey cooker, these recipes will guide you through every step of the process, from brining to roasting. Get ready to impress your family and friends with a turkey that is cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor. From the traditional roasted turkey to the deep-fried turkey and even the smoked turkey, this article has it all. With detailed instructions and helpful tips, you'll have everything you need to make the best turkey ever.
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
THE BEST TURKEY BRINE
This is our go-to brine for turkey. It's simple, flavorful and most importantly leaves you with a succulent, juicy, perfectly-seasoned bird. It's also perfect for chicken, pork chops, Cornish game hens - you name it. While we like the combination of thyme and sage, you can also use other hearty herbs such as rosemary, oregano or marjoram.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories condiment
Time 10m
Yield 12 to 14 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Combine 1/2 cup salt, the sugar and 1 quart water in a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the peppercorns, thyme, sage and lemon strips. Let steep and cool to room temperature.
- Pour the brine into a large stockpot or bucket and add 3 quarts cold water. Remove the neck and giblets (reserve for gravy) from the turkey and put it into the brine, pushing it down to cover. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Remove the turkey from the brine; rinse and pat dry. Cook according to your favorite method.
OUT OF THIS WORLD TURKEY BRINE
Best brine for smoked turkey around. This recipe was given to me by my uncle. He is always smoking meat. EDITOR'S NOTE: This recipe uses canning or kosher salt, not table salt. Using table salt in this amount will make the brine too salty.
Provided by SUDEMERS
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a food-grade large bucket or container large enough to hold your turkey, mix together the water, salt, garlic, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Store in a refrigerator, and soak turkey for 2 days before smoking or roasting.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 32.1 calories, Carbohydrate 8.1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fat 0 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 0.2 g, SaturatedFat 0 g, Sodium 13913.4 mg, Sugar 6.5 g
BEST TURKEY EVER!! (BRINED)
My dad has made this turkey for the past 3 years at Thanksgiving. This is my 1st Thanksgiving at home and I plan on doing it as well. The meat comes out completely juicy and its just amazing!!
Provided by Jenninjapan
Categories Whole Turkey
Time 10h
Yield 22 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Rinse turkey in cool water.
- In a very large clean container (non-corrosive pan or stockpot such as stainless steel or glass or a food-grade plastic container), mix salt and water together until salt dissolves. Stir in brown sugar and spices, mix well until sugar dissolves.
- Totally submerge poultry in solution and store, covered, in refrigerator for at least 6 hours and up to 8 hours. Since brining does not preserve meat, the turkey must be kept below 40 degrees F throughout the entire brining process. Ice packs may also be used to keep turkey at a safe temperature of below 40°F.
- Remove turkey from brine. Discard brine. Thoroughly rinse turkey under a slow stream of cool water, rubbing gently to release salt and sugar, both inside and out. Pat skin and both interior cavities dry.
- * NOTE: The ratio of water to salt is appropriate for a 15-pound turkey. If a larger or smaller turkey is brined, please calculate accordingly.
- * *NOTE: Other combinations of herbs may be added including 6-8 bay leaves, 3 cloves garlic and 2 teaspoons black peppercorns. Or a spicy flavor may be achieved by the addition of 1 cup small dried red chile peppers.
- In the cavity of turkey, place onion, carrot and celery.
- Brush turkey with melted butter.
- Roast turkey, breast side down, in a preheated 325 degree F oven for 2 hours. During this time, baste legs and back twice with melted butter.
- Remove turkey from oven and protecting your hands, grasp turkey with several layers of clean paper towels at both ends, and turn turkey, breast side up.
- Return turkey to oven and continue to roast, basting twice with pan dripping. Continue to roast until internal temperature reaches 170°F in the breast and 180°F in the thigh. NOTE: A brined turkey cooks slightly faster than an unbrined turkey, so check the internal temperature frequently.
- Remove turkey from the oven and allow to stand for 20 minutes before carving.
- Transfer to a platter and garnish with fresh fruit.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 675.8, Fat 27.2, SaturatedFat 8.5, Cholesterol 216, Sodium 10528.7, Carbohydrate 41.4, Fiber 1.3, Sugar 38.8, Protein 63.5
BEST BRINED TURKEY BREAST
Interested in trying something different for your Thanksgiving turkey? We'll talk you through how to brine a turkey breast so you can set a flavorful, moist and delicious centerpiece on the table! Brined turkey breast needs some extra prep time, but it's so worth it for the juicy results.
Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Entree
Time 14h40m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In 6-quart container or stockpot, mix water, salt and sugar; stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add turkey. Cover; refrigerate at least 12 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
- Heat oven to 325°F. Remove turkey from brine, rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.
- Place onion on center of rack in large shallow roasting pan; top with rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Place turkey, skin side up, over onion and herbs.
- In small bowl, mix butter and wine. Soak 16-inch square of cheesecloth in butter mixture until completely saturated; cover turkey completely with cheesecloth. Roast 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Remove cheesecloth. Place onion and herbs in pan with drippings if using drippings to make gravy (or discard). Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of turkey and does not touch bone. Turn turkey skin side down. Roast 30 to 60 minutes longer or until thermometer reads 165°F.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 360, Carbohydrate 1 g, Cholesterol 140 mg, Fat 1, Fiber 0 g, Protein 43 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 600 mg
THE BEST TURKEY EVER
This bird is soaked in brine, stuffed with vegetables and fruit, and basted at least once every half hour. It's a recipe I made up about 4 years ago. It's time consuming, but the result is soooo worth it!!! I usually buy a turkey about 16 pounds and it feeds a hungry group of at least 8, with few left-overs! Not that it needs to be said, but buy a turkey that suits your family's size.
Provided by Elizabeth W.
Categories Whole Turkey
Time P1DT4h
Yield 10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- Thaw turkey as directed on packaging.
- Remove giblets from inside.
- Rinse completely inside and out.
- In a container large enough to hold the turkey, mix the water and kosher salt.
- Place cold turkey in solution and allow to soak for 24 hours.
- Be sure to keep it cold, if you can't refrigerate it, add ice throughout the day as needed.
- Remove the turkey from the brine solution.
- To infuse the meat with flavor, fill the cavity of the bird with garlic, leeks, herbs (set aside enough bay leaves to insert under skin later), citrus fruit, onions, apples, carrots, celery, shallots. You won't use all the fruit and veggies you cut during preparation to fill the bird, so don't panic.
- Preheat oven to 450.
- Use a roasting pan with a V-Rack in the pan.
- Fill 1/3 of the pan with apple cider, beer, chicken broth, and any remaining filling for the bird.
- Truss the bird before roasting if not sold that way.
- Insert Bay Leaves under skin all over, as much or as little as you like.
- Rub entire bird with softened butter.
- Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Place turkey on roasting pan.
- This pan will be VERY HEAVY--you may need some strong arms to assist putting in oven!
- Reduce heat to 325.
- Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes per pound, use a digital thermometer, till internal temp reaches 160.
- The temp will rise while the turkey is resting, be sure not to let it rise above 160 while cooking in oven!
- Tent the bird loosely with foil during the first hour of cooking and cover it again if the skin starts getting too brown.
- Baste the turkey every 1/2 hour with more softened butter and the juices in the bottom of the pan. I use an injector about every hour as well.
- After cooking, allow turkey to rest for a half hour before carving.
- ENJOY THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 965.6, Fat 58.4, SaturatedFat 22.9, Cholesterol 387.4, Sodium 338.3, Carbohydrate 1.4, Fiber 0.2, Protein 102.1
THE BEST BRINED TURKEY
You'll roast the perfect, succulent Thanksgiving Day turkey thanks to our homemade brine made with salt, sugar, cloves and bay leaves.
Categories Entree
Time 21h
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a large stockpot, heat 4 cups of water; sdd sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved. Add 16 cups cold water, cloves and bay leaves (2 cups of ice can be added to make sure water is cold). Stir to combine.
- Urwrap turkey; wash the turkey inside and out. Place breast side down in the stockpot with brine; water will just cover the turkey. Refrigerate 18-24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Take the turkey out of the stock pot; rinse the inside and out with cold water discarding brine. Place the turkey on a roasting rack inside a wide low pan, blotting the turkey with a paper towel. Tuck back the wings and rub the skin of the turkey with the oil. Place a piece of foil just over the breast of the turkey to cover for even roasting. Roast on the lowest rack of the oven for 30 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Pour 1 cup of water into the pan and continue to roast for an additional hour.
- Remove the foil from the breast and cook another 15-30 minutes. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is iin thickest part of inside thigh and does not touch bone. Roast until thermometer reads 165°F and drumsticks move easily when lifted or twisted.
- Let the turkey rest for 20-30 minutes (this is an essential step to allow the juices to redistribute and settle). Serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 490, Carbohydrate 6 g, Cholesterol 275 mg, Fat 1 1/2, Fiber 0 g, Protein 84 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 3760 mg, Sugar 6 g, TransFat 0 g
Tips:
- Brining the turkey: Brining is essential for a moist and flavorful turkey. Use a mixture of water, salt, sugar, and herbs to create a flavorful brine. Brine the turkey for at least 12 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- Rinsing the turkey: After brining, rinse the turkey thoroughly with cold water to remove excess salt. This will help prevent the turkey from becoming too salty.
- Drying the turkey: Pat the turkey dry with paper towels before roasting. This will help the skin crisp up and brown.
- Seasoning the turkey: Season the turkey inside and out with salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs and spices. You can also add a compound butter or herb paste under the skin for extra flavor.
- Roasting the turkey: Roast the turkey in a preheated oven at 325°F (163°C) for 13-15 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the breast.
- Letting the turkey rest: After roasting, let the turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. This will help the juices redistribute throughout the turkey, resulting in a more tender and flavorful meat.
Conclusion:
By following these tips, you'll be able to cook the best turkey ever. This brined turkey recipe is sure to impress your family and friends. The turkey is moist, flavorful, and has perfectly crispy skin.
So, what are you waiting for? Gather your ingredients and get started on this delicious recipe today!
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