Honey Brined Turkey

Brining is the best way to impart flavor and prepare a moist turkey for the holidays.  It is well worth the effort.  Below is a basic brine recipe, enough to cover* a 15 lb turkey.  You can adjust the recipe accordingly for  a smaller turkey or a chicken. I’d suggest you resist the temptation to add anything to the brine for flavor till you try it once for yourself.    

1 gallon of water
1 lb kosher salt
2 qts of vegetable broth
1 lb honey

Heat water and broth on the stove in a large pot.  Add the salt and let it dissolve, then the stir in the honey till it blends it.  Allow the brine to cool to room
temperature.  

Immerse the turkey/chicken (giblets and neck removed) in the brine breast side up and refrigerate for 8-12 hours (do not go longer than 12 hours). If the bird is too big for the fridge, pack the pot in a cooler and keep it as cold as possible by replacing ice often etc. Perhaps put the cooler outdoors if the weather is chilly. If you family is not big on dark meat, consider preparing two or three smaller turkey breasts in smaller pots to make storage easier.

After the brining is done, discard the liquid.  The bird will be noticeably “plump“.    Roast as usual. I have never tried it with a stuffed bird, so maybe do without that if you can and roast unstuffed.  

*If you are not sure this will be enough/too much to cover your bird or if your pot will be big enough, do a water test.  Immerse your bird while it is still shrink wrapped in 1.5 gallons of water as a test before you begin and see if it will work out.