Turkey Time

Getting my ducks in a roll so I don't have to fight the crowds next week in the grocery store. One of the things we tried a few years back was to brine our turkey, WOW!! It was wonderful. We used Williams Sanoma Apple and Spices brine, super good but very expensive. Today I made my own for $2.24 total for all six jars of the stuff, W/S price is $18.95 each , 6 jars would have run us $115.70. That is a heck of a savings! If you have never brined a turkey you are missing out big time, it is the best turkey you will ever have. I used spices we grew and dehydrated over the summer along with Kosher salt, the only thing that I didn't put in that the store brand uses was juniper berries and star anise, don't know what the heck they are (google here I come). Why 6 jars you ask, we will have turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas, need to make one this weekend for Kelli's office dinner, and we like turkey sometimes for Sunday dinner. With the prices down to $.70 a pound it is the cheapest cut of meat you can get, I pick up a few extra during the holiday sales for later in the year.

Recipe

1 1/4 cups of Kosher or Sea salt

3/4 TBL Sage

3/4 TBL Thyme

3/4 TBL Rosemary

1/2 TBL Garlic

1 TBL Lemon peel

1 TBS Onion

1 TBS Peppercorn

3 bay leafs crushed

6 dehydrated apple slices chopped

Mix all and store in pint jar

To use:

Add brine to a gallon of water, bring to a boil, stir until the brine is dissolved.

Cool at room temperature then refrigerate until cold.

Combine the brine mixture along with 1 1/2 gallons of water in a larger container (we use a Ballpark cooler)

Add thawed washed turkey with all the yuk stuff removed, soak for 12 to 36 hours. Keep refrigerated.

Rinse the turkey with cold water and pat dry then roast as you normally do.