Instructions for the apple cider turkey brine It won’t taste like apples per se, but it will have crispy outer skin and moist, juicy, flavorful meat inside when roasted. And like any brine, the result is tender, juicy, and the most flavorful turkey meat!īrining is a method of soaking meat in salt water or other liquids like beer or apple cider before cooking to add moisture and intensify the flavor of the meat.Īn apple cider brined turkey will yield a savory turkey incomparable to any other in delicious flavor! This brine is easy to prepare because it’s simply homemade apple cider with apples and notes of citrus, pomegranate, cinnamon, brown sugar, and cloves. This Thanksgiving and Christmas, you can still keep it classic by pairing an apple cider turkey brine with traditional sides of favorite Southern recipes like mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and green beans.Īpple cider turkey brine brings a new level of flavor and juiciness to your holiday bird. I cover how to prep your turkey for roasting, and how to get that really awesome golden, brown skin.An apple cider turkey brine combines sweet and savory flavors to bring you a moist, flavorful, tender, and juicy roasted turkey with a rich brown crispy skin! You’re now done brining your turkey – he’s all set and ready to be roasted to perfection! Wanna know how to roast your turkey? Check out my post for 3 EASY TIPS FOR A MOIST AND DELICIOUS TURKEY here. This will remove any excess salt and herbs, on the outer surface and prevent the turkey from being overly salty.ĭon’t worry, you’re not undoing or diluting the brine that you just did – the salt, herbs, and all the other ingredients from the brine have already permeated the meat and have adequately done their job. Be sure to rinse inside the inner cavity, and all around the wings and legs. ![]() Next, with the water sprayer or faucet, give the turkey a really good rinsing. Lay down some clean kitchen towels so the turkey doesn’t slip around. Your turkey has been in the refrigerator brining for nearly a day – he’s now ready to come out and make his holiday debut! The last step of brining your turkey is to give him a good rinse before roasting.Īfter nearly dropping my turkey on more than one occasion, I’ve discovered through much trial and error this easy technique. Okay, so it is now likely Thanksgiving or Christmas day. If you have a very large turkey, like 18-22 lbs, add an extra 1/2 to 1 gallon of additional water. Place your turkey breast-side down, and pour the brine over the top of the bird. ![]() Unlike an oven bag (DONT use an oven bag – it’s not thick enough and you’ll surely spring a leak!) the plastic is much thicker, and can withstand the weight of the liquid and the turkey. Brining bags are specifically designed for this exact technique. Okay, so back to the brining bag….I don’t recommend using a bucket or cooler to brine your turkey, although you can use it if you’re in a pinch. Some like to include the giblet meat with their stuffing, or roast alongside the turkey – I personally discard these parts, as no one in my house eats them. The giblets typically include the neck, liver, heart, and gizzard of the turkey. These are not necessary to the brining process. Speaking of the inside of the bird, be sure to remove the bag of giblets that have been placed inside the turkey. Your turkey should be mostly thawed by this point, but it’s okay if there are still ice crystals on the inside of the bird. Once the liquid has come to room temperature, you can then the Apple Cider Turkey Brine onto the turkey. Step 3: Pour the Cooled Brine Over the Turkey into a Brining Bag (For exact recipe amounts of each ingredient, be sure to scroll down to the recipe card.) The results with this Apple Cider Turkey Brine recipe are not only spot-on with flavor, it’s now the only way I make a holiday turkey! Here are the ingredients and a few other essentials for your Turkey Brine Recipe: The results were incredible!Īfter quite a bit of trial, error and substitution over the years, I’ve come up with this brine recipe that has been my go-to recipe for many holiday meals. A few years back, I began substituting part of the water with Apple Cider, and haven’t gone back. ![]() The salt acts as a tenderizer for the meat, and the spices and seasoning add some really great flavor, without being overpowering. The main ingredients are salt and water, but beyond that, you can really customize the seasoning and spices to your tastes. Making a brine for your turkey is a relatively simple process. Step 1: Gather all of your ingredients for the Apple Cider Turkey Brine
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