Best 4 Tea Brined Turkey Recipes

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**Indulge in a Thanksgiving Feast with a Twist: Discover the Delectable Tea-Brined Turkey and Its Accompaniments**

As the autumn leaves paint a vibrant tapestry and the scent of roasted turkey fills the air, it's time to gather around the table and celebrate the harvest bounty with a traditional Thanksgiving feast. This year, elevate your culinary experience with a unique culinary creation: the tea-brined turkey. This innovative brining technique infuses the turkey with subtle yet distinctive flavors, resulting in a moist, tender, and exceptionally flavorful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving spread.

Accompanying the succulent turkey are a symphony of delectable dishes that showcase the diverse flavors of the season. From the classic cranberry sauce, bursting with tart and tangy notes, to the velvety smooth mashed potatoes, each recipe is carefully crafted to complement the star of the show. Roasted vegetables, with their caramelized edges and vibrant colors, add a delightful medley of textures and flavors. And for a sweet ending, a selection of tempting desserts, including the classic pumpkin pie and the indulgent apple crisp, provide a fitting finale to this unforgettable feast.

**1. Tea-Brined Turkey:**
Uncover the secrets of creating a remarkably flavorful turkey by immersing it in a fragrant tea brine. This unique technique not only enhances the turkey's natural flavors but also ensures a moist and succulent bird.

**2. Classic Cranberry Sauce:**
Experience the perfect balance of tangy and sweet with this timeless cranberry sauce recipe. Bursting with the vibrant flavors of fresh cranberries, this classic condiment adds a delightful contrast to the richness of the turkey.

**3. Velvety Mashed Potatoes:**
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with these creamy and velvety mashed potatoes. Prepared with fresh potatoes, butter, milk, and a touch of seasonings, this classic side dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

**4. Roasted Vegetables:**
Celebrate the abundance of autumn's harvest with a vibrant array of roasted vegetables. From tender carrots and parsnips to crisp Brussels sprouts and colorful bell peppers, each vegetable is roasted to perfection, resulting in a medley of flavors and textures.

**5. Pumpkin Pie:**
Embrace the essence of fall with this quintessential Thanksgiving dessert. Featuring a creamy pumpkin filling encased in a flaky crust, this classic pie is a symbol of the season's bounty.

**6. Apple Crisp:**
Conclude your feast with a delightful apple crisp, a rustic dessert that combines sweet apples, a crispy oat topping, and a hint of warm spices. Every bite offers a symphony of flavors and textures that will leave your guests craving more.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

ORANGE, TEA, BOURBON-BRINED PAPRIKA BUTTER TURKEY



Orange, Tea, Bourbon-Brined Paprika Butter Turkey image

Great-tasting roast turkey flavor. Cook an 8-pound turkey breast on the weekend and enjoy flavorful turkey sandwiches all week. Can also be used on a full-size turkey. Cooking time is about 15 minutes per pound. If desired, make 1 cup seasoned butter and add 2 tablespoons to your turkey gravy.

Provided by Andy Bryan

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Turkey     Brine

Time 10h45m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 18

Brine:
2 quarts water
5 oranges - juiced and zest cut off in large strips
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup white sugar
12 black tea bags
4 bay leaves
6 whole cloves
12 whole black peppercorns
1 cup bourbon whiskey
4 quarts cold water, or as needed
1 (8 pound) whole turkey breast
Seasoned Butter:
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, crushed
6 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
6 tablespoons butter, softened

Steps:

  • Pour 2 quarts of water into a large soup pot and stir in orange juice and zest, kosher salt, sugar, black tea bags, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and bourbon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix 4 quarts cold water into brine and let cool. Submerge turkey breast in brine, adding more water if needed to cover. Refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Set oven rack to the lowest position in the oven.
  • Remove turkey from marinade; discard marinade. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Mix coriander seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, and garlic into softened butter in a bowl.
  • Loosen the skin over turkey breast with your fingers and spread 1/4 cup of seasoned butter beneath the skin. Rub remaining 2 tablespoons seasoned butter over the turkey breast. Place turkey breast onto a roasting rack and set rack into a roasting pan.
  • Roast in the preheated oven until skin is golden brown and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees F (75 degrees C), about 2 hours. Transfer to a cutting board and let turkey breast rest 30 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 508.1 calories, Carbohydrate 19.1 g, Cholesterol 125.9 mg, Fat 15.2 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 58.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.3 g, Sodium 16285.5 mg, Sugar 16.7 g

GRILLED TEA-BRINED TURKEY WITH TEA-AND-LEMON GRAVY



Grilled Tea-Brined Turkey with Tea-and-Lemon Gravy image

For best flavor and moist, juicy meat, brine the turkey for 36 to 48 hours. If you are planning to brine it in a cooler, plan on needing extra ice. Kosher salt is preferred in most brine recipes for its pure flavor and because it dissolves quickly.

Categories     Citrus     Poultry     turkey     Thanksgiving     Fall     Brine     Grill/Barbecue     Bon Appétit

Yield Makes 16 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

5 lemons, divided
18 Earl Grey tea bags
11 4-inch-long rosemary sprigs, divided
2 cups coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
12 cups ice cubes
2 turkey-size oven-roasting bags
1 22-pound turkey; neck, heart, and gizzard reserved for gravy
1 12 3/4x9x2-inch disposable aluminum pan
1 celery stalk, cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces
1 medium onion, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
Tea-and-Lemon Gravy

Steps:

  • Bring 6 1/2 quarts water to boil in large pot. Remove from heat. Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from 3 lemons (yellow part only). Add peel, tea bags, and 6 rosemary sprigs to water; steep 20 minutes. Remove tea bags. Add salt and sugar; stir to dissolve. Stir in lemon juice. Cool to lukewarm. Add ice to reduce temperature to below 45°F.
  • Place 1 roasting bag inside the second, forming 2 layers. Place inside large pot. Place turkey in roasting bags, breast side down. Pour brine over turkey. Tie bags tightly, eliminating any air pockets. Refrigerate 36 to 48 hours. Or, place bags into large cooler, pour brine over turkey, and tie bags securely. Pour ice over and around turkey in bags. Place lid securely on cooler. Check twice a day to ensure that turkey is covered with ice (some ice will melt). Remove top rack from grill. Place disposable aluminum baking pan in center of barbecue (if using 2-burner gas grill, place pan on 1 side of grill; if using 3-burner grill, place pan over center burner).
  • Prepare barbecue (medium-low heat). If using charcoal grill, arrange coals on each side of aluminum baking pan, dividing equally. (You will need to add about 6 briquettes to each side of aluminum pan every 30 minutes to maintain temperature while cooking turkey.) If using 3-burner gas grill, light burner(s) on left and right, leaving center burner(s) off. If using 2-burner gas grill, light burner on side opposite disposable pan. Insert instant-read thermometer into top vent of grill. Maintain temperature at around 350°F.
  • Drain turkey; discard brine. Pat turkey dry. Pierce 2 lemons all over with fork. Stuff turkey with lemons, 5 sprigs rosemary, celery, and onion. Tie legs together. Brush turkey all over with oil.
  • Place turkey directly on grill above aluminum pan. Close grill. Adjust temperature to maintain 350��F. Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, about 3 hours. Transfer turkey to platter. Tent with foil. Allow to rest 30 minutes before carving (internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees). Serve with gravy.

OVEN ROASTED EARL GREY TEA, LEMON & ROSEMARY BRINED TURKEY



Oven Roasted Earl Grey Tea, Lemon & Rosemary Brined Turkey image

This is from a recipe card that came with Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, posting it for later use. I am not including the brining time in the cooking time as 2 days you are probably not gonna stand over that darned turkey and watch it brine...lol.

Provided by Chabear01

Categories     Whole Turkey

Time 5h15m

Yield 14-16 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

6 1/2 quarts water
6 tablespoons earl grey tea (18 tea bags)
3 lemons, juice and rind of
6 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 cups kosher salt
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
12 cups ice
1 (24 -26 lb) whole turkey, neck, heart and gizzard removed
3 whole lemons, punctured all over with a fork
2 celery ribs
1 large onion, unpeeled and quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups low sodium chicken broth

Steps:

  • Bring 6 1/2 quarts water to a boil. Remove from heat and add tea, lemon peel and rosemary. Cover and let steep for 20 minutes. If using tea bags, remove them. If using bulk tea, remove lemon peel and rosemary, set aside and strain the mixture and discard the tea leaves. Pour the mixture back in the pot and stir in salt, sugar and the set-aside lemon peel and rosemary. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in the ice, cool to below 50 degrees F. Line a large pot with two 30-gallon plastic garbage bags, one inside the other. Place turkey in the bag-lined pot, breast-side down. Pour brine over turkey; press to submerge. Twist off bags to eliminate air pockets and tie. Refrigerate turkey in brine for 2 days (48 hours).
  • Drain turkey, discard brine. Pat turkey dry. Stuff cavity with rosemary, punctured lemons, celery and onion. Fold wing tips under; tie legs. Rub olive oil all over the turkey.
  • Place oven rack in the lowest third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Place turkey on a rack in large roasting pan. Place bird in oven and roast for 2 hours, then baste with 1/2 cup broth.
  • Continue to roast until turkey is brown and thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. Basting frequently with the remaining 1 1/2 cups broth and pan juices. Cover loosely with foil if browning too quickly. Transfer turkey to a large platter or carving board. Tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes or up to 45 minutes prior to carving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1050.8, Fat 49.8, SaturatedFat 13.5, Cholesterol 387, Sodium 16579.2, Carbohydrate 26.6, Fiber 0.7, Sugar 24, Protein 117.3

TEA BRINED TURKEY



TEA BRINED TURKEY image

Categories     Poultry

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

1 gallon water
5 - 6 family sized tea bags
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 lemons, thinly sliced
1 - 2 navel oranges, thinly sliced
1 heaping Tbsp black peppercorns
1/2 or 1 t. cayenne
1- 2 serrano or jalapeno pepper(s), thinly sliced
2 Bay leaves
2 T. fresh thyme, chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
12 - 15 cups of ice
12 - 14 pound turkey
Brining bag (A large oven roasting bag works well, and this is what I typically use.)
For baking:
Kitchen twine
Olive oil
Cracked black pepper

Steps:

  • Bring the water to boil in a large pot and add the tea bags. Turn off the heat and let steep 10 minutes. Add the salt, honey and sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add onion, lemon, orange and pepper slices, peppercorns, bay leaves and garlic and let cool completely and then refrigerate until very cold. Place the turkey in the brining bag, pour the brine over it, seal it off well. You can either place in a large pot and refrigerate or use a small cooler and pack with ice. Brine for at least 18 hours, up to 36. Massage the turkey through the bag ~8 - 10 hours. Remove from the brine, rinse well, and pat dry. (optional: remove the aromatics from the brine, rinse and lightly place in cavity -- do not stuff!) Preheat oven to 450. Tie the legs together, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with black pepper. Roast 20- 30 minutes at high heat* and then reduce the temp to 325 - 350F, roasting for ~2 - 3 hours, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 160F. (About 20 minutes per pound at 350F, extend the time for a lower temp). Let rest for 15 minutes before carving. *Keep an eye on your turkey during the initial high heat phase -- the sugar in the brine means that the turkey will brown quickly. Deglaze pan with a splash of dry vermouth, add stock. Thicken as needed for gravy.

Tips:

- Use a whole turkey that is fresh or thawed. A frozen turkey will not absorb the brine as well. - Make sure the tea brine is completely cool before adding the turkey. If the brine is too hot, it will start to cook the turkey. - Use a large container that can hold the turkey and the brine. A plastic bucket or cooler is a good option. - Turn the turkey in the brine every 8-12 hours. This will help to ensure that the brine penetrates the turkey evenly. - Brine the turkey for at least 12 hours, but no longer than 24 hours. Brining the turkey for too long can make it too salty. - Rinse the turkey thoroughly with cold water after brining. This will remove any excess salt from the turkey. - Pat the turkey dry with paper towels before cooking. This will help the turkey to brown evenly. - Roast the turkey according to the recipe instructions.

Conclusion:

Tea-brined turkey is a delicious and moist way to enjoy this classic holiday dish. The tea brine adds a subtle flavor to the turkey that is sure to please everyone at the table. With a little planning, you can easily make tea-brined turkey at home. Be sure to follow the tips above to ensure that your turkey turns out perfectly.

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