Whiskey Turkey Brine & Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
I’m a pretty big into brining my holiday turkey to help keep my turkey super moist and well seasoned.
Watch my Instagram video real -here- or click button below to watch me brine this year’s turkey!
If you’re not familiar with brining- the reason for doing it is because allows the turkey to absorb extra moisture, which helps the meat get juicier.
Since the turkey also absorbs some of the salt brine, it helps to season and add flavor the meat. The salt also helps to break down the turkey's proteins therefore making its meat more tender as well.
All you need is about a cup or two of kosher salt and water and let it brine for 12-18 hours in the fridge but if you want to try it exactly how I did it, see below:
TURKEY BRINING INGREDIENTS
1.5 cup kosher salt
1 cup soy sauce
2 cups water
¼ cup brown sugar
6 smashed garlic cloves
16 black peppercorns
~2 gallons of cold water
1/2 cup Jack Daniels Whiskey or any whiskey
PREPARATION
You will need to brine 12-18 hours before cooking day / Thanksgiving day.
That said make sure turkey is completely defrosted before brining.
To defrost turkey:
Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt brine mixture for 12-18 hours (overnight). Below are approximate times needed to defrost your turkey:
12 to 16 pounds: 4 days
16 to 20 pounds: 5 days
20 to 24 pounds: 6 days
Brining instructions: Add first 6 brining ingredients in ingredient list (excluding 2 gallons water and whiskey) in a pot over medium heat. Mix and heat until all salt/sugar has dissolved. Let cool.
Remove neck and liver bag from turkey. Rinse your defrosted turkey under cold water. Pat dry.
Use 1/2 cup of salt and salt the outside of the turkey and inside the turkey cavities (body and neck cavity). Add turkey into a big pot or container. Then add cooled brining liquid, and top off with about 1 1/2 to 2 gallons of water and make sure entire turkey is submerged in the brine. Brine for about 12-18 hours.
THANKSGIVING TURKEY PREPARATION / RECIPE
I modified Martha’s Perfect Roast Turkey 101 Recipe as per below:TURKEY STUFFING VEGETABLES:
1 large onions, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leafROASTING PAN VEGETABLES / INGREDIENTS:
1 onion quartered or loosely chopped
2 carrots loose large cuts
2 celery stalks loose large cuts
1/2 cup of white wine
1 thyme sprig
TURKEY GLAZE INGREDIENTS:
1 Bottle dry white wine
3 sticks unsalted buter
4 tbs salted butter
Remove turkey from brine, rinse turkey thoroughly and drain completely. Discard brine and pat dry with paper towels. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
After 2 hours: combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, 4-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it.
Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity and neck cavity loosely with stuffing.
Stuff the turkey cavity with the turkey stuffing vegetables above. Scatter the roasting pan vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with 1 cup white wine.
Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under, fold wings under turkey, and secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
Place rack on lowest level in oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven.
Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 180 degrees (stuffing should be between 140 degrees and 160 degrees) and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest with foil for about 30 minutes.
The simplest way to figure out turkey roasting times is to calculate 13 minutes per pound at 350°F for an unstuffed turkey (that’s about 3 hours for a 12- to 14-lb. turkey), or 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey.
For a 12- to 14-pound turkey:
425°F for 2¼ to 2½ hours
400°F for 2½ to 2¾ hours
350°F for 2¾ to 3 hours
325°F for 3 to 3¾ hours
For a 15- to 16-pound turkey:
425°F for 3 to 3¼ hours
400°F for 3¼ to 3½ hours
350°F for 3½ to 3¾ hours
325°F for 3¾ to 4 hours
For an 18- to 20-pound turkey:
425°F for 3½ to 3¾ hours
400°F for 3¾ to 4 hours
350°F for 4 to 4¼ hours
325°F for 4¼ to 4½ hours
For a 21- to 24-pound turkey:
425°F for 4 to 4¼ hours
400°F for 4¼ to 4½ hours
350°F for 4½ to 4¾ hours
325°F for 4¾ to 5 hours
For a turkey that weighs 24 pounds or more:
425°F for 4¼ to 4½ hours
400°F for 4½ to 4¾ hours
350°F for 4¾ to 5 hours
325°F for 5 to 5¼ hours
GRAVY RECIPE
7 tablespoons turkey fat, left in roasting pan
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose
½ cup water
5 cups turkey stock (or chicken stock)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
GRAVY PREPARATION
Scoop about 1/2 cup of turkey fat from roasting pan. Sprinkle flour over fat and cook, stirring until golden about 10 minutes.
Increase heat to medium high and add water and whisking while reducing the gravy. Slowly add your turkey stock, stirring constantly. Stir until mixture is very smooth. Let gravy thicken (about another 10 minutes).
Taste. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add a little water to thin out gravy if needed.