Guest guest Posted November 17, 2004 Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 This is one I wrote a few years back and is still going strong. I've enjoyed it myself and I've had quite a few folks write me and tell me how much they loved it too! *Smile* Chris (list mom) NEW - Lovely Perfume Bottles & Aromatherapy Pendants NEW - Red Salt Glow Scrub & Coffee Scrubs - Wrapped For Giving! <http://www.alittleolfactory.com> http://www.alittleolfactory.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Aromatic Brined Turkey By Christine Ziegler-Bollum Thanksgiving is one of our most cherished holidays. It’s a time to gather with family and friends, and celebrate the gracious bounty and blessings that have been bestowed upon us over the past year. It is also the time of year when many folks struggle to prepare a juicy turkey Brining a turkey is one of the best ways to give you a moist, tasty, tender, satisfying holiday bird. The turkey absorbs moisture and flavor in this overnight preparation process. It also cuts down on the amount of work while cooking as it does not require basting and the constant attention that an un-brined bird does. It is important to pick a turkey that has not been injected with a “solution” or a Kosher Turkey (which already has been soaked and salted). A fresh turkey over a frozen turkey is generally preferred for flavor and is less likely to be “adulterated” in any way. Ingredients 1 14 to 16 pound whole Turkey Brine Mixture 3/4 cup fresh orange juice 1 drop orange essential oil 1 cup fresh lemon juice 1 drop lemon essential oil 2 cups chopped yellow onions 1 & 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 cups Kosher salt or coarse Celtic Sea salt 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves 8 chopped garlic cloves 1 tablespoon black peppercorns ½ tablespoon allspice berries 1 drop cumin essential oil 1 drop oregano essential oil 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Aromatics Mixture 1 apple, sliced 1 small onion, sliced 1 cinnamon stick 1 cup water 4 sprigs fresh rosemary 6 fresh sage leaves 1 bay leaf Yield:10 to 12 servings Directions for Turkey 1.Rinse the turkey under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside. 2. To make the brining liquid, combine the brine mixture ingredients above with 2 gallons of cold water in a large glass or stainless steel pot. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. 3.Place the turkey in the pot with the brining liquid. Refrigerate at least 12 hours, and up to 24 hours. Turn the turkey periodically to ensure that the turkey is evenly marinated. 4. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the brine and put it in a large, heavy roasting pan, on a rack, breast side up. Lightly rinse the turkey (to prevent it from being too salty). Pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine. 5. Rub the turkey with vegetable oil (preferably a good quality olive oil). 6. Gently tuck the wings in under themselves to prevent burning (this is preferable to trussing the bird, which will only prolong cooking time). 7. Microwave the apples, onion, cinnamon, bay leaf and water from the aromatic stuffing mixture on high for 4-5 minutes, or simmer on stove for 5 minutes. Lightly stuff bird with steeped aromatics mixture along with the rosemary and sage.* Add aromatic water to bottom of the roasting pan. *This is not a traditional edible stuffing, it will be discarded after cooking (see stuffing note below). 8. Roast the turkey uncovered at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees F, cover the breast area with foil and roast until meat reaches an internal temperature of 165-170 degrees F. on an instant-read meat thermometer (about 2-2 & 1/2 hours). 9. Remove from the oven and let stand in the roasting pan or on a serving platter for 20 minutes before carving. *Stuffing Note: If you are going to make a traditional accompaniment stuffing side dish, it is strongly recommended you cook it separately from the bird and not stuff it in the bird itself, especially if the bird is over 15 lbs. This is because a large bird like a turkey requires several hours to heat through to the center. A bread (or rice) stuffing provides an ideal environment for bacterial growth. One way to solve this problem in birds under 15 lbs is by preheating the stuffing (a microwave is the easiest, quickest method) to 120 to 130 degrees. This gives the stuffing a head start on the cooking process so that the turkey does not overcook as it waits for the stuffing to reach the proper internal temperature of 165 degrees. Happy, safe, holiday blessings to all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2004 Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 oh, this looks yummy! can i used boneless chicken breasts??? i am hungry and it is late! hugs, Nessy http://stores.ebay.com/Charmed-Cottage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2004 Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 Hey Nessy, Just do the best you can to adjust the recipe for the size difference between the chicken breasts and the turkey and I am SURE you can make it work Happy eating! Nite y'all! *Smile* Chris (list mom) NEW - Lovely Perfume Bottles & Aromatherapy Pendants NEW - Red Salt Glow Scrub & Coffee Scrubs - Wrapped For Giving! <http://www.alittleolfactory.com/> http://www.alittleolfactory.com Nessy Saylor (Rodney's Wife) [nessysaylor] oh, this looks yummy! can i used boneless chicken breasts??? i am hungry and it is late! hugs, Nessy http://stores.ebay.com/Charmed-Cottage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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