Smoked Turkey Brine
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups apple juice
- 1 1/2 cups kosher salt or 1 cup table salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 Tablespoon candied ginger
- 10 cloves
- 2 sprigs each rosemary, sage, and thyme
- 6 cups ice cubes
- 4 cups apple juice
- 1 large apple quartered
- 1 yellow onion quartered
Directions
- In a large stock pot, combine the water, apple juice, salt, spices, and herbs. Bring to a boil.
- Remove the brine from the heat and stir in the remaining cold apple juice and the ice cubes.
- Once the brine is fully chilled, pour over your turkey.
- Nestle the sliced apple and onion in the brine around your turkey.
- Brine in a container that can keep the turkey fully submerged in the brine.
- Keep your turkey and brine below 40 degrees F during the entire brining process.
- Brine your turkey for approximately 1 hour per pound of turkey.
- Once your turkey has been in the brine for long enough, remove from the brine and rinse gently, both on the inside and the exterior of the bird.
- Pat completely dry and drizzle with a little cooking oil or melted butter for a crispier skin.
- You don’t need to add any additional salt or seasoning to the exterior of the turkey before grilling or smoking.
- Stuff the turkey cavity with the apple and onion slices from the brine.