Favorite Turkey Brine

[Reinhard]

Plain buttermilk works great.  However this year I'm going to try this one.

1 gal apple cider

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup sea salt

10 cloves garlic

2 inch piece of ginger sliced

4 oranges cut in 1/4

1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar

Fresh rosmary and thyme to stuff in the cavity before putting the turkey in the brine.

Take the apple cider, brown sugar, salt, garlic and ginger in a pot and bring to a simmer.  Make sure everything is dissolved.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Let cool.  Pour the brine in a 5 gallon bucket.  Add the rest of the ingredients and put the bird in.  This is for a up to 14 pound bird.  Put in fridge or cold place for 24 hours.  Take the bird out then and don't have to rinse but pat the bird dry and put in the smoker or oven.  Put some beer in the roasting pan and put the bird breast down for about an hour and a half.  Then right side up for the rest of the time.  Baste the bird during this time.  good luck.

[Bobberineyes]

That looks like a great brine, I'm pretty sure if I used buttermilk I'd drink it before Turkey did... good stuff!! My last year's bird on the grill was brined but also stuffed with apples... I'll never do tgat again, turned out real juicy but the Apple's gave it a peculiar taste..

[mike89]

looks good RH!!!

[Reinhard]

I'll post pics and let you know how it worked.  good luck.